Futurin 3: The Quickening
by Gangurokid
Summary: A truncated version of Eclipse, basically the abridged version. Getting a lot of it out of the way so I can get to the meat and potatoes of what I would actually like to write. Also I don't own this.


"Ok." Bella said, her heart a burning, gouged wound in her chest.

Charlie drove home slowly, the soft old timey music playing on the radio was soothing. Snow was starting to fall, a light and somewhat unexpected flurry. When they got home Charlie opened Bella's door and walked with her into the house.

"I'm gonna go shower and then go to bed dad." Bella said. "Long day."

Charlie nodded "I hear you Bells, get some sleep. Love you."

"Love you too." Bella said, walking upstairs.

She showered for a long time, at one point lying in the tub, the spray covering her. She thought about his hands, his slender hands. His strong fingers caressing her in the most private places on her body, he turned her on so much. Even feeling perturbed by what Carlisle had said to her the memory of Edward touching, kissing, teasing was turning her on. Dangerous though, a murderer, the hands of a killer caressed her breasts, a killer's hands caressed her clit, a killer's mouth and tongue met hers. A killer.

She sat up in the tub, turned off the shower and got out. She wrapped herself in a towel and picked up her dirty clothes, she grabbed her wallet from the pockets and threw the clothes in the hamper. She went to her room and picked up her seldom used house phone, she dialed Edward's number.

"Hello?" He said, his voice sounded distracted.

"Hey Edward." Bella said "Are you busy?"

"No… no I'm not busy, I can come over." Edward said, and then he hung up.

When he arrived 30 minutes later it was sliding into 9PM. Charlie had turned in early and Bella was dozing. She heard the tap on the window and jolted awake. Bella opened the window and Edward stepped down into the room, he was wearing a thick series of bandages underneath his t-shirt.

"Hello Bella." Edward said, "How are you?" his body language was nervous, tense. His handsome face so distracted.

"I'm… I've been better." Bella said, sitting on the bed.

Edward went and sat at her desk, he put his hands in his hair underneath his hat. "I can believe it."

"Don't say it." Bella warned.

"Say what?" Edward asked, his eyes guilty.

"Don't tell me to leave you. I'm not." Bella said.

"Bella, I killed 38 people, I killed another 22 with James, I was responsible for Alice's transformation and every murder she was responsible for. Bella I have gallons of blood on my hands, I… I'm not worthy of you. I'm trash, I'm not good enough." Edward said, staring at his shoes "You can do better, there are so many good humans out there. Humans that are so much better than me. I can't even protect you from danger I put you in. And I refuse to endanger you anymore."

Bella was crying again, she sat on the edge of her bed. "Look at me."

He didn't look, "Look at me! You owe me that much! You want to break me to pieces you look at me when you do it!" Bella whispered, urgency in her voice.

Edward locked his eyes with hers "I'm an amputee, I have a limp, I'm covered in scars and bruises, I'm a pale fatass with boring brown eyes and yet you look at me with so much love! You look at me and you make me feel like I'm made out of platinum! No one else will ever look at me the way you do, no one else can make me feel like you do! And if you leave me I know I'll spend the rest of my life chasing after the feeling of being desired and wanted and loved the way you made me feel! I love you so much, I feel so connected to you! You can't take that from me. You can't do this to me!" Bella said.

"I don't want to! Bella you are one of the best things to ever come into my life, I don't want you anywhere but near me! But I'm a monster, I'm tainted, I'm foul and I've murdered. And I look at you and you're so beautiful, so full of life and potential that you glow, and that radiance is far too much for a night stalking creature like me." Edward said, standing from the chair and kneeling in front of her "I can't be here. I should have stayed away, you shine too bright for a monster Bella."

"You promised." Bella said, tears streaming down her face, landing on Edward's pale warm hands. "You promised you wouldn't leave me, you promised me you would stay. You promised, please Edward you are breaking me apart."

"I know, I'm sorry." Edward put his hand on Bella's cheek "But… but you are so valuable, I can't risk you Bella."

"Don't leave, don't leave me. Stay with me, please. I'm seventeen, and I have been lucky enough to find my true love so early. I can't love anyone else like I love you." Bella said.

"I'm sorry, I can't stay. But I will never love anyone the way I love you kid." Edward said, pulling Bella into a hug. He whispered into her ear, "It will all be better in the morning."

Bella sobbed quietly into his shoulder "No it won't. Nothing will be better. Goodbye, Edward. You're taking my heart with you."

Edward pulled back and kissed her forehead, "Goodbye, Bella. I'm leaving my heart here." and he was gone, his passing ruffling the curtains of the opened windows.

Bella sat back on the bed, she backed up against the headboard and hugged her knees. She cried. She cried until she fell asleep. And then she woke up and cried some more.

Her birthday passed, and she was suddenly eighteen. It was a great birthday, her human and shifter friends were present. Jake had brought her an old school motorcycle, Jessica brought her apartment keys for next year, saying that her and Angela were all going to be roommates. Embry brought a jade necklace bought in Port Angeles, Quil brought her two new games, Tyler and Mike went half on concert tickets, Lauren brought additional memory for Bella's laptop and three band hoodies, and Eric brought an old school camera that used film. They sat and laughed and played games and Quil was shot down 4 separate times. When everyone finally cleared out Bella was alone with Charlie who replaced her cellphone with a brand new one, brought her a new knife, and announced that he was paying for her to get a motorcycle license.

"Bill didn't have a spare vehicle just yet, but he had that bike in his shed for forever, he figures you and Jake could get it going again with a little elbow grease." Charlie said.

"Thanks dad, thank you for everything. Thank you for being you." Bella said.

"It hurts right now, I know… but it gets better. It always gets better, it just takes time baby." Charlie said, hugging Bella.

Bella cried into his stomach, "I just miss him so much. It just hurts so much dad. He loved me, he honestly loved me."

"I'm sure he did, I remember that look he had on his face matching my own years ago, but sometimes things happen the way they do for a reason. You'll keep growing up, and you'll find someone. Or maybe the two of you will end up back together, having grown up and changed as people, different understandings. Or you'll be lonely and bitter like me, I should shoot Phil." Charlie said, grinning.

Bella laughed, sniffling snot back into her nose. "Phil's cool, you don't have to gun him down."

Charlie looked at his watch, it was coming up on his night shift time. He let go of Bella and grabbed his jacket off the hook. "Make sure to be dressed for the funeral this weekend."

Bella nodded, "Love you dad, have a good night."

"Love you too honey, and it really does get better." Charlie said, and he left.

Bella went upstairs to her room and lay in bed, she stared at her right hand, cradled it close to her chest and curled up to sleep.

October was a blur for Edward, he scarcely remembered it, scarcely remembered going to school. He was spending much of his time in Seattle, hunting down Victoria, he was fighting with more recklessness and aggression than he ever had before. Before he noticed it October was over and it was in the middle of an unusually cold and snowy November. And Edward was in an alley, fighting the latest newborn he had hunted down.

Edward clutched the front of the newborns jacket and tossed her into one of the dumpsters lining the alley, the newborn dented it and was back on her feet immediately, she swung at Edward with a clawed hand and Edward batted it away and kneed her in the stomach, punting her into the dumpster again. She shook herself and attacked, dragging her fingernails across the front of Edward's face and putting his left eye out, splattering blood against the dirty snow, Edward barely reacted and grabbed her hand, he tightened his grip and tore her arm off, then shoulder checked her into the dumpster again.

The newborn attempted to stand and Edward stomped her shoulder, breaking off her other arm. He drove his knee into her stomach and knelt down on top of her. "I'm tired of this, I'm tired of killing you things. I'm tired of it. Just tell me where she is. One of you has to know something." Edward said, wrapping his hand in her hair and slamming her head back against the dumpster.

The newborn's eyes were wide, wide and terrified. "Your name is Jenny Stauncher, you're from Wichita, Kansas. You're 5'6 and weigh 132 pounds, before all of this you were running away from a drug deal gone bad. I can pull all of that out of your head but I can't pull out where she is. Where is she. I'm tired of this." Edward slammed her head into the dumpster again. "Is she even still here?"

"No, no she left! She went to Oregon! She took a few of us and left. She's gone." Jenny said.

Edward scanned, the newborn was telling the truth. "You can die painlessly then." And he broke her neck, then yanked her head off. Next stop was somewhere in Oregon, Edward stood up, his bomber jacket dirty from snow and blood. His hair a mess, his eyes dull. He would find Victoria, and he didn't care how many newborns he had to kill to do it. His phone was ringing and he answered "Hey Alice." he said.

"You missed again today, are you trying not to graduate?" Alice asked.

"I'll make it. Is everything ok?" Edward asked, walking out of the alley.

"Everything is fine, come home. Everyone is really worried about you." Alice said.

"I'm fine, I just need to find Victoria and I'll be even better." Edward said, "She's in Oregon, don't know exactly where but I'm sure it's a matter of follow the bodies."

"Oregon? Call Jane, that's her seat, she'll get Victoria sorted out." Alice said.

"Only if she has to. She hates all of us but Jasper." Edward said.

"Yeah, but she's good at her job. Edward come home." Alice said.

"I will, I love you little sister." Edward said.

"I love you too big brother." Alice said, hanging up.

Edward put his phone in his jacket pocket and jammed his hands in his pants pockets, he walked into a cafe and ordered a cup of cappuccino. He took his jacket off and put it over the back of his seat, he drank his drink and stared out of the window.

Him?

Edward looked up, an old blonde haired woman wearing a very nice sweater and slacks carrying an expensive handbag was staring at him. Her face one of stark amazement. Edward couldn't place her, but she was plainly staring. He looked back down at his drink as the old woman stood up and walked to him.

"Edward?" the old woman asked.

Standish, Emma Standish. The last time Edward had seen her they were in a movie theater, she had given him her phone number at the library and he had taken her out. She had aged well, Edward was frankly astonished she remembered him.

"Hello ma'am, I'm afraid I don't know you." Edward said.

Emma shook her head, "No, no you wouldn't. You just look very much like someone I knew once."

Edward smiled "I hear that a lot ma'am."

Emma's eyes went distant with memory, "He was a very sweet boy, very unique. It would be difficult for me to forget him, are you perhaps related?"

"No ma'am, I don't have any relatives named Edward. My name is Percival John ma'am, P.J for short." Edward said, and he showed her one of his driver's licenses.

"P.J… you look distracted young man. Are you o.k?" Emma said.

"I'm fine ma'am, it's just been a very hard week." Edward said.

"My grandchildren have their hard weeks, I'm waiting for two of them right now. Always money you young people need." Emma said.

"Being a grandparent is such an excellent drag though isn't it?" Edward said, and he grinned.

Emma laughed "Yes P.J it can be a lovely drag. Enjoy your cappuccino young man." she placed a 10 dollar bill on the table "And enjoy another on me."

"Thank you ma'am." Edward said.

Emma went and sat back down, 15 minutes later a blonde haired girl and a short brunette boy came in and sat with her. She hugged them, Edward picked up their thoughts of love and happiness, and it made him miss Bella even more. Bella made him feel happy, she was his contentment. He had said she was life and she was, she was life, but he couldn't risk her. He had to find Victoria, remove her as a threat, and if he died in the bargain oh well, his love was safe. He picked up his cellphone and called Jane.

"Hey baby." Jane said, her voice oozing lust "Want to see me today?"

"Quit it. Come see me, here are the coordinates." Edward said, giving his location.

46 minutes later Jane and Renata were walking in. Renata wearing a scarf around her throat and a long woolen coat over bright yellow duck boots. Jane was wearing a black trench coat and long black boots, her hair a mass of golden perfect curls, her blue contacts appeared blazing and several people, male and female were dazed and dazzled by her glorious appearance. She was holding in hand several high end clothing and accessory store bags. She sat at the table with Edward.

"Calling me up you naughty little thing. Bella might think you're cheating." Jane said, her voice still oozing sex "Lord knows I like seeing my favorite pretty punching bag."

"Victoria is in your region, building her army somewhere in Oregon. Find her, tell me where she's hiding and I'll take care of it." Edward said.

"Ohhh, you want to talk business. So serious all the time mi amour." Jane said, placing a hand over Edward's. "Why would I help you? You won't even give me whats mine."

"You'll help because you're duty bound as a governor." Edward said "Unless you have more to lose killing Victoria."

"Clever boy ain't ya?" Jane said.

"Clever enough. Find her location, we'll take care of the rest." Edward said.

"See thats the fly in the ointment Eddie, ain't no laws in place to prevent the creation of newborns, ain't no law says you can't have a large coven. I can't authorize no hunting until the girl slips up, starts leaving bodies, starts drawing serious attention." Jane said.

"Twenty-six tre eights, dead in Seattle just 2 months ago." Edward said.

"Ain't no connection to this Victoria regarding that mess, matter of factly the laws think it's you who killed em'." Jane said, she picked up Edward's cappuccino and took a sip. "Sweet."

"Stop it, stop it and listen to me Jane. Victoria is dangerous, and you know it. She needs to be stopped, if not by us than by you." Edward said.

"Ed, I'd love to help you out. But even if she is doin' what you say she's doin' she ain't breaking no laws, humans ain't aware of what she's doin', she ain't assaulted no governor, it was James who did that and she ain't attempted rebellion against the Imperium. You think the big boys give a damn about a couple dead humans? We ain't all like you and yours." Jane said. "Even in my main seat, supposin' she's there, she's not making a mess."

"Jane." Edward said.

"Listen to me cutie, the reason you really want her dead is cause you killed her mate. You iced The Hunter and now Victoria is gunning for that chubby little pumpkin you're in love with." Jane said. "You'd have attempted to kill her anyhow, cause you folks are wanna be heroes like that. But you never woulda called me up if it weren't for chubs, you want some help to make sure she stays safe."

"Her name is Bella, don't call her out of her name again." Edward said.

Jane shuddered and said, "Mmmm, I love how tough you are. Even needing my help you defend her honor. Ok, I'll do this for you cutiepie I'll look for Victoria, and I'll send one of my boys up here to watch the city in case she comes back. When and if I find her I'll get in touch with you, and I'll send you guys down to do what you like to do."

"Thank you Jane." Edward said.

"No problem, no problem. Want to give me a little dick for incentive?" Jane said.

"I'll have to decline, every single time." Edward said.

"I'll convince you eventually baby doll." Jane stood up, leaving a large bag with the words Armani on it. "A little gift, for the happy couple."

"Thank you Jane, travel safe." Edward said.

Jane smiled, her perfectly white teeth radiant, her smile made several men in the room immediately forget what they were doing. "So cute." and she grabbed Renatas hand and they left, disappearing before they even turned the corner.

Edward sat back, he was thinking about Bella again. And once it started he couldn't stop. How he missed her! How he missed his love. But he couldn't risk her life again, couldn't afford to be distracted, the shifters were much more capable of keeping her and the town safe. But he missed her cute smile, her two slightly crooked front teeth, the curve of her lips, her soft stomach and thighs and hips, he missed her hands interlocked with his, he missed that thump in her chest. He missed how much she made him laugh, and how just hearing her made him smile. He missed how quick witted and tough and brave she was. He missed her so much, and he knew he couldn't love anyone the way he loved Bella Swan.

Two weeks after Edward contacted Jane Bella was in the backyard practicing with her new harpy. She had chopped off most of her hair, it was now a brown curtain gathered around her shoulders. Currently it was frizzed up from the exertion of her movement with the knife, she barely noticed the cold. She did 100 repetitions and then sat on the back steps, drinking from her water bottle. She watched the snow fall slowly, the toes of her boots pointing at each other. She thought about Edward, she thought about Edward all the time now. Practicing with her harpy put him out of her mind, but never for long. She missed him terribly, looking forward to when she would see occasional glances of him at school, but he would always disappear as quickly as he appeared.

More boys had begun courting her, she hadn't so much lost weight as the weight she had became more evenly distributed. She was far from muscled, but she had gained tone, though Edward had liked her before all of that. Edward would like her no matter how she looked. Edward, Edward, Edward, her obsession, her great and true love. She wanted him back, she would do anything in the world just to have him back.

She stood up and picked her knife up again, 100 more repetitions, then squats, then the shadow boxing Rosalie showed her until she was sore. She slumped into the house, the 10 AM sun bright, turning the fresh white snow into a sea of fire. She poured herself a cup of coffee and peeled a banana. The breakfast of champions Charlie had called it. She drank the strong dark coffee without sugar, ate the banana and went to shower. Afterward she went and dressed, still the same unembellished t-shirt and jeans combo, but Edward had left his little leather bracelet the night he broke her heart and she was the one who wore it all the time now, it was like carrying him with her. She knew somewhere in her mind she had to move on, clinging would just hurt if he never came back. When she graduated and moved on, found a nice human boy to be with she didn't want to have to struggle every day with not unfairly comparing him to that amazing man who saved her life, and made her feel wanted.

The doorbell rang and Bella went back downstairs, "Who is it?" she called.

"Jake dude." Jacob called from the other side.

Bella grinned and opened the door Jacob was there, his white t-shirt grungy from old oil stains, his washed and rewashed and work worn FRC pants faded and soft. He was smiling, holding the bagel bag. "Eat up, we've got work to do this Saturday."

"Work? Only work I have is reading House Of Leaves." Bella said.

Jacob laughed "No way no how, good books are left out today, unless it's motorcycle repairs for dummies. We gotta work on your bike."

"Oh yeah! Yeah cool, let me go change!" Bella said, and she turned and went upstairs.

When she came back down she had swapped out her t-shirt for one of Charlie's old denim shirts and a white undershirt, and her jeans with faded khakis, her hair tied up with a bandanna. Jake was kind of impressed, was new Quil always so cute?

"Come on, where's the bike?" Jake said.

"Side of the house, under a tarp." Bella said.

Jake went with her to the side of the house, he shook the snow off the tarp and lifted it. Underneath was the bike, beaten and worn and in dire need of a fixup. "We'll have this baby road ready ASAP. Just gonna take time."

"We've got plenty." Bella said.

Jake wheeled the bike to Billy's truck and hefted it into the back "Come on, I've already gotten a parts inventory from my dad. It'll cost maybe 700 to fix all the way up."

Bella shrugged "I've got that. I just needed Jakey expertise."

Jake blushed "Shut it, let's go."

They spent the rest of the day in Billy's shed, taking the bike apart. Bella wasn't a mechanic, but she was a quick learner, and proved to be more of a help than a hindrance. Quil and Embry's presence was also very welcome. They spent the afternoon laughing and working, Bella learning as she went. Aside from Edward the only grey cloud looming in her thoughts was Harry's funeral, Bella really liked Harry, and she felt horribly guilty in that he died partially to protect her.

"No one's blaming you for that dude." Jake had said when her anxiety over it made her say something. "Harry was awesome, he wanted to fight, and he died protecting. It's what we do, we protect."

Embry opened the pizza box and took out a slice "Yeah, my mom said that he died doing what he loved. Looking out for people, doing the right thing."

"Yeah… but still." Bella said.

"But nothing Bella, nobody who knows blames you. Trust us, we know you didn't intentionally bring a suckhead to town to kill Harry." Jacob said.

"No, never." Bella said.

"Then you're good." Jacob said.

"Hey man, is it just me or did Bella like get a fat ass over the- FUCK!" Quil shouted out when Embry punched him on the top of the head.

Bella burst out laughing, it really was absolutely wonderful to have the three of them together again. Bella sat up and grabbed a piece of pizza "Thanks guys, you three are the ultimate pickup."

"Just promise us when you move in with Jess and Angela you'll let us know when the girls come over." Quil said.

Embry laughed "Dude, you're so gonna get AIDS."

Quil laughed "Immortal and damn near invulnerable my dude, no disease."

"Immortal?" Bella asked.

"We stop aging, or like the way my dad explained it is that we age but the super healing takes care of it. As long as we shift regularly we don't get older or show the effects of fighting, kind of a way to keep us in our prime for longer. Like when Wardo punched me my body healed off the damage, but if I ever stop shifting, that and whatever else comes back completely." Jacob said.

"And what? Kills you?!" Bella said.

"Pretty much." Jacob said

"You guys better not ever stop." Bella said.

Jacob laughed "My dad says grandpa and all the rest stopped cause of something involving werewolves, said they invoked a spell or a totem or something so that would stop our shifting. It just didn't take."

"Yeah, I heard your grandparents fought them too." Bella said.

"They're scarier than suckheads, my dad says when they got back from fighting them it took months for them to heal off the damage. And there were some aftereffects too cause we're human, said we are all infected with some kind of weird werewolf poison." Jacob said, he was running a wire brush over a part of the motorcycle engine.

"Are you guys werewolves too?" Bella asked.

"Not really werewolves, we've just got an extra shift, my dad calls it a dire form, and we can partial shift. It's weird." Jacob said.

"Really weird." Embry said.

"Too weird." Quil agreed.

"Very, who can do it?" Bella asked.

"Uhh, I can, Rach, Embry, Leah, Sam, and Seth." Jacob said, "Only Leah and Sam are really good at the partial shift, Rach is trying to use the dire shift, it's easier for us cause we're connected, can pull our human minds away from the beast." Jacob said.

"Yeeesh, you shifters are super impressive." Bella said.

"Suckheads and Weres are strong Bella, really really strong, even the Cullens on animal blood are crazy strong. We need every edge we can get." Jacob said.

Bella smiled "I'd hate if something happened to my Musketeers. When does the world traveling start?"

"Oh man that's the part I'm most stoked about. But my mom says nope until I graduate, and then it's off to fight monsters in exotic locales." Embry said.

"Cept the Imperials." Quil said.

Jacob snorted and pulled out another piece of the engine, "This spark plug is fucked."

Bella stood up and leaned over to look, and Jacob couldn't help but admire. Maybe it was new hormones or something. "Write down a list, my dad will take me to get replacements."

"Hey, uh… hey we're sorry about your breakup Bella." Embry said.

Bella shrugged "It's alright, shit happens."

Jacob put his hand on her shoulder "It's more than a shit happens huh."

Bella nodded "It really is."

"Well boys are dumb." Quil said, popping the top on a bottle of Coke.

Bella laughed and sat on the couch in the shed, quietly watching them work, playing with the little leather bracelet incessantly. At around five she was getting out of the backseat of the Torino and walking into her house. The note Charlie left on the door was about Billy, and fishing. Bella walked inside and sat on the couch, she thought about Edward. About his laugh, that serene little laugh of his. She looked at her phone, she picked it up and dialed his number.

After three rings he picked up, "Hello?" he said, he sounded exhausted.

"Hi." Bella said, her voice small, tentative. she had a Washington number now, not Arizona.

"Oh, hi. Hi Bella." Edward said, and there was still so much love in his voice, so much warmth.

"I miss you." Bella said, sitting on the living room couch, tears already starting. "I'm eighteen now, you missed the party."

"I… I miss you too. I miss you so much, happy birthday." Edward said.

"It would have been happier with you. Are you close? Are you nearby?" Bella said.

"I'm not close, I'm… I'm in Seattle, tracking Victoria." Edward said.

"Come over, please come over. I miss you, I want you back. It's been three months and I'm sick with it, I miss you." Bella said.

"Bella, I can't. What if someone follows me again, Victoria does not know where Charlie lives, I can't lead her or any of her monsters there." Edward said.

"Please baby, you sound so exhausted. Come here and rest, I miss you." Bella said, "Come and be comfortable with me."

"Bella… you're making this feel impossible, it's hard enough staying away. But you're making it impossible." Edward said.

"Then give in, come and see me. Please, it's me, it's your Bella." Bella said, sitting up on the couch.

"You're still mine?" Edward said, he sounded honestly surprised

"Always, Edward i'm yours. I'm yours and I want you back, please be with me again." Bella said.

"After I kill Victoria I'll come back. I'll come back and I'll be with you because I need you, I've been fighting so hard these last three months to distract myself." Edward said "But we are dangerous, and no diet will change that."

"I'm making my own choice, I don't care, I don't want anyone but you. Come here." Bella said.

"I will, I'll be there when I can." Edward said.

"Can I call? Will you pick up when I call?" Bella asked.

"Yes, always." Edward said "I'm yours too."

"O.k I'll talk to you later, I love you Edward." Bella said, sniffling snot.

"I love you too Bella." Edward said and he hung up.

Bella put her phone on the table and went to bathe, stupid asshole, stupid Wardo, stupid Carlisle. Didn't they understand that nothing was ever easy, from life to vampires there is always a struggle.

Edward put his phone in his pocket and sat up, he watched blue smoke drift lazily from the unfiltered Camel Alice held between two dainty fingers as Rosalie finished clearing out the last of the rats in the cellar.

"Leave one alive Rosie." Alice said

Rosalie released the newborn from the headlock she was holding him in and took off his arms and legs with three sharp kicks. She grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him into the wall, she lifted a shovel and pinned him there, like a moth. "Victoria made a lot of them, I almost feel bad killing them. They don't even seem to know why they were made or why they're being killed." Rosalie said.

The newborn was flailing and preening, he would be sympathetic were he Jenny Stauncher, but Ross Yvel was no Jenny Stauncher. It was interesting to Edward that most of her soldiers were criminals or unwanteds. Perhaps with nothing left to them in their human life, being a monster was their best option.

Edward stood up, he looked into his glowing topaz eyes, he scanned, a deep scan so that he was the newborn. He felt his hunger, his pain, his fury and he was him. "The Boss is definitely in Oregon. She's with Riley, Damon, Bree, Caulfield and maybe twenty others. She's planning on thirty or forty, hopefully a few with abilities."

Edward yanked off the newborn's head. "All the ones left behind are throwaway."

"Bitch is smart." Rosalie said, wiping a smudge of dirt off her cheek with her shirt sleeve.

"If you're going to go stop her I'm coming." Edward said.

"No you are not. We are not going to be complicit in your ill-advised suicide plan, you don't think we've noticed?" Rosalie said "You're a great fighter Edward, but running in here to fight 7 newborns alone was suicidal. If me and Alice hadn't shown up there's no telling how it would have gone."

"I had it under control." Edward said.

Alice looked at him, the kitsune mask perched on his forehead, his hoodie ripped, his jeans torn. "If you were fighting clear headed maybe! Even Batman bothers to dodge! I am tired of you doing this!" she said.

"I'm not doing anything, I just want her stopped." Edward said.

"And she will be, but you're going to get yourself killed if you keep this up, you've always been like this. Stop being so self-sacrificing, its not noble, it just causes headaches for the rest of us." Rosalie said, hitching up her torn skirt. "Sixteen hundred dollars this skirt cost, and I had to tear it up helping your dumb ass fight. I can't win with you Cullen." Rosalie said, pushing past Edward to walk upstairs.

Alice slapped the back of Edward's head "Stop it, and start coming back to school. You're slipping." and she followed Rosalie upstairs.

Edward stared after them, then followed.

Jasper was in the gym, the iron cylinder inside of the heavy bag was dented from his blows. It was the kid's memorial today, probably over by now. He punched the bag 10 times in rapid succession, the punches flowing so quickly and smoothly it would have been all but invisible to untrained eyes. His bare feet made the lightest shuffle on the smooth wooden floor of the gym as he circled the bag, practicing his combinations for what seemed to his mind to be the millionth time. Punching things was about all he was good at, he never quite got the hang of kicking like Rosalie and Alice did, as far as he was concerned his feet did their best work on the ground.

Emmett was standing by the door, watching, his huge frame nearly filled the doorway. "Gonna break that fucking thing."

Jasper laughed and punched the bag again, swinging it on it's thick chain. "Wouldn't be the first time."

"Spar? Ain't had a good fight in a while." Emmett said.

"Guess it's finally time to trash the whole house huh?" Jasper said, punching the bag again.

"You figure that's how it'd go down if me and you went at it Jasper?" Emmett said.

"It's how it used to go, cept we were outside. We fight inside a building it's gonna end up destroyed, specially if we go seriously." Jasper said.

Emmett laughed "You handicap."

"How do I handicap there Emmett?" Jasper asked, his hands leaking blood onto the floor and staining the smooth blue canvas of the bag.

"You use your ability to make me feel stronger than I normally am, faster. Makes me wonder if you think I wouldn't be a challenge without it." Emmett said.

"Only do it sometimes, boy you're a brahma bull, you've muscled through it the times I done it." Jasper punched the bag again, he didn't moderate his strength and dented the metal inside. "Fuck."

Emmett walked over and reached up, he unhooked the bag and tossed it over his shoulder. "I'll go and fix this up, knock those dents out of there. The offer to spar is always on the table."

Emmett turned to walk out of the gym and Jasper threw a punch in his direction, Emmett immediately turned and swung the heavy bag like a mace, Jasper's hand collided with it, shattering his shoulder and elbow and punching the iron cylinder out of the bag. It flew into the wall, breaking the glass mirrors and revealing the steel reinforced wall beneath.

Jasper was knocked back ten feet into the opposite wall. He slammed into it and was immediately on his feet, he shook his arm out and reset the bones. "Nice." he said.

Emmett grinned, dropping the heavy blue canvas to the ground, "Don't know about the house, but we're about to trash this room Tex." Emmett pulled his shirt off and tightened his belt.

Jasper hopped on his toes, throwing out quick jabs. He used his ability and Emmett felt like he had suddenly grown twice as strong, twice as fast, Jasper's punches seemed to be moving in slow motion. "You tryin' to get killed in here Tex?"

"Ain't gonna get much of a fight out of it if I don't juice you boy." Jasper said, grinning.

Emmett smirked and charged, tearing up the floor as he darted from one part of the room to the next, moving far too fast for his size. As if inertia meant nothing to him. Jasper was quicker, however it took all of his considerable strength to shift Emmett's blows away, to push his huge body in the directions he needed, to land blows that would destroy others while watching Emmett casually shrug them off. Jasper threw a haymaker that Emmett ducked, launching himself into Jasper and pinning him to the ground. He raised one gigantic fist and pounded on Jasper's blocking arms. The force cracked the ground underneath, Emmett threw another, and another until he was a tornado raining blows on Jasper, and then he stopped and yowled, rolling off of Jasper, his blood covered hands grasping his currently bleeding thigh which Jasper had snatched a piece out of like it was cotton candy.

"Fuck!" Emmett said, getting to his feet. "FUCK! That hurt!"

Jasper stood up, shaking his arms out. "Had to get you offa me somehow. Look what you did to my damn arms." he tossed the piece of Emmett's thigh to the ground, it ashed quickly.

"Lovin' the dirty fighting Tex." Emmett said, his smile huge and eager. And he rushed in again.

They fought for the rest of the day, thoroughly trashing the gym. When Esme got home from work, hoping to get a quiet evening to meditate in there, she was stunned into temporary silence by the two of them sitting against the mirror shattered walls drinking blood out of steel tumblers, their hair bloody, their bodies healing slowly. "Hey Esme." Jasper waved one broken hand.

Esme tied her hair up in a tight bun on top of her head. "I'm going to kill you both. This is it."

"Fuck." Emmett said, and then she was on them.

The shower ran hot and Jasper was glad for it, after very nearly being killed by Emmett he had to be nearly killed again by that 145 pound hellcat Carlisle called a wife. But he felt restless still, he thought training would help, he thought sparring would help, but neither activity did anything to erase the fact that Leah plain wasn't speaking to him. For a while there she was seeing him often, taking long walks, reading quietly with him and Alice, going on drives, watching movies, listening to him recount both of the wars he had been in. She was his friend, and he felt a great love for her. Vastly different from the great love he felt for Alice, who wheedled him endlessly about how happy he was, and how excited she was to see him find someone, and how well matched they were. But since the night her father was killed there had been radio silence between them. Jasper understood, a vampire had killed Harry after all, why would he expect her to want the comfort and company of another monster.

He turned off the water when all of the blood was gone from his hair and his body was sufficiently healed and stepped out of the tub. He went into his room and dressed, he had a closet like a cartoon character, rows of chambray shirts in different colors, blue jeans, chinos and several pairs of scuffed and worn boots. A few white t-shirts for variety. Jasper owned no shorts, he owned no embellishments to his person, even Carlisle carried a pocket watch, Jasper dressed as spartan as he kept his room. He oftentimes felt he had little personality, and his clothing and living space reflected that.

He lay on his bed and opened a well worn copy of an Horatio Hornblower novel. He liked Forester, not nearly as much as he liked Westlake, but he liked him well enough. He sat there reading until he heard the door creak open, he shifted the book and there was Leah, her plain black dress as unadorned as his room, her face blank and expressionless.

"You missed the memorial." Leah said.

"I didn't think I was invited." Jasper said, "Didn't think any of us were invited."

"I needed you there and you missed it, you didn't have to be invited. You should have known I'd need you there." Leah said.

Jasper put his book down and sat up in the bed "Leah, come on over here and sit down."

"I don't want to sit, I want to know why you weren't there. Where were you Jasper? Were you here? I needed you to be there for me, to hold my hand, to be a shoulder I could cry on and you weren't there." Leah said.

"Leah, you know why I wasn't there. It's the same reason you ain't been talking to me, ain't wanted nothing to do with me." Jasper said.

"Because one of you monsters killed my father, one of you took him from me. You took him and he's not coming back. And now other than my little brother, I have no one. I don't have anyone I can talk to anymore." Leah said, her face still expressionless.

"Leah, I am sorry about your daddy. He was a good man, I respected him." Jasper said.

"He was my best friend, me and my mother aren't close. She hasn't said a single word to me since dad died, but she said some words today. And do you know how we started our day? We started it with a rousing round of "why can't you be more like Emily" and we ended it with a round of "only my slut daughter would open her legs for the same kind of monster that murdered her father" one of the games is a classic, the other is brand new, can you guess which Hale?" Leah said.

"I ain't know none of that. I didn't-" Jasper started before Leah interrupted.

"I have this awful monsters body, and my dad is dead. You know what else Hale? My mother put me out of the house. She just wants it to be her and Seth. She said if I want to fuck vampires I won't be doing it under her roof, I'll be out in the wild, I'll be with the monsters." Leah said.

"You ain't a monster, you kill the monsters. And you ain't got to live out in the great wide open, you're welcome here if you want." Jasper said.

"I'm no traitor. I won't stay with you, I won't stay anywhere with vampires, I have money to stay on my own. You know that though don't you." Leah said.

"Yeah, I know." Jasper said.

"Come on." Leah said.

Jasper stood up, he followed Leah out of the house. She lead him into the deep darkness of the cold, snow covered woods. Her black dress getting covered in the slowly falling snow. And Jasper understood his restlessness, Death was coming, Death was calling out to the dog, and it came with a beautiful face, and the most beautiful voice he'd heard in 142 years. Leah led him into a clearing, and she stripped off her dress. Underneath she was wearing a white sleeveless t-shirt and compression shorts. "I'm going to kill you tonight, I'm going to do what my dad couldn't and my grandfather tried." Leah said, her voice and face still expressionless.

Jasper nodded, rolling back the sleeves on his shirt "Kill me then, I told you I ain't afraid of Death, me and her are acquaintances."

Leah lifted her hands, and they exploded into huge fur covered claws. Spattering simmering blood that melted the snow immediately, "It hurts, this monster's body. Losing my father hurts. Realizing that my mother wished someone else was her daughter hurts. Everything hurts. But once I've killed you I'll feel better. And you'll feel better too."

Jasper nodded, and Leah attacked. He had never seen a shifter shift individual parts before and it was quite incredible, she wasn't nearly as fast as she would be with a full transformation but she was still incredibly fast and the gashes and rips and tears she gouged into his body were healing far too slowly. She was spilling his blood at an incredible rate, tearing apart his arms, his legs, his chest and stomach. Jasper gave a token resistance, his blocks feeble, his dodges minimal, "Fight back!" Leah panted, "Fight back monster! Kill another one of us!"

Jasper shook his head and Leah slapped him to the ground, splitting his cheek open. She straddled him and clawed his chest, tearing it open and clutching his still heart "Fight back, or I swear to god I'll tear it out!"

"It dont work, take it." Jasper said, coughing blood onto his face.

"Why won't you fight back?!" Leah said, squeezing Jasper's heart "Am I not worth it?!"

"I ain't gonna fight you girl, I like you too much." Jasper said.

"You… one of you killed my father! You! You… I'm alone… I'm all alone." Leah said, her tears splashed on Jasper's face streaking the blood cooling there.

"You ain't alone, you got that kid brother. Got a pack willing to fight for you. Wonderful woman like you ain't never gonna be truly alone. Now if you gonna kill me get to it, I ain't much for keepin on livin'." Jasper said.

"I want to, but if I kill you what was the point of waiting for you? What was the point of you waiting for me? I just miss my dad, I miss my pop." Leah said, "And I'm tired of you seeing me cry."

Jasper reached up with one blood covered hand and put it on Leah's cheek, "I don't mind seein' you cry, cause I'm pretty sure I'm halfway to bein' in love with you Leah Clearwater."

"Don't." Leah said, shifting her hand back and putting it over his, the skin was raw, blood-slicked. "Don't."

"I hated my daddy, hated him for all the poison he put in me. Hated him for beatin' me, torturin' me, hurtin' me. Makin' me want to hurt other folks, filling me up with so much crazy I still ain't filtered it all out, filled me up with so much crazy it took 30 years or more of torture and pain to get me to the point I ain't feel nothin', and there's still residue. But your daddy gave you love, and he gave you strength, you a strong one Leah, you gonna be alright. You gonna be just fine." Jasper said. "Go ahead and kill me if you want. If it'll make you feel better it's fine with me."

Leah sighed and released her grip on Jasper's heart. She shifted that hand back and it was as raw and red as the other. "It won't make me feel better hillbilly. I'm the protector that's fallen in love with the worst demon in a world of demons."

Jasper chuckled "Well don't that beat all." and he coughed blood again. The gaping hole in his chest was knitting itself closed.

"School next spring. Washington U. When Alice graduates… the three of us should get a place." Leah said.

"We should." Jasper said, not quite minding the beautiful cuisinart that was sitting on him as he was slowly drifted under snow.

Leah looked down at him "You know what really scared me?"

"What?"

"That if I had been able to bring myself to kill you, you would have let me. Why? Why do you hate yourself so much?" Leah asked, the snow melting on her naked shoulders.

"I don't know, I just do." Jasper said.

"Stop it, you can't die yet. I'm not losing you too Hale. I waited for you." Leah said.

"I waited for you too. In the deep dark, I was waitin'. In the bright desert of Iran I was waitin'. In the jungles of Brazil, across the coast of Africa, in the bloodiest battlefields in Mexico I was waitin'. I was waitin' for you Leah." Jasper said.

"You have me, I'm here now. You don't have to wait anymore. The old dog wandered for a long time, and he found a home, he found a family and then he found a bear to be his mate." Leah said, leaning over Jasper's face, wiping the blood from his mouth. "I can't kill you because I love you, and I won't let anyone else kill you either."

"You won't even let me do it." Jasper said, a grin on his blood stained face. "Can't see you lettin' anybody else do it."

"You and the little skinny one, the one that always looks like he's about to start crying. You're both like that. You're both ready to die at any moment. Do you hate what you are so much?" Leah asked, laying down, her head on Jasper's chest, her body heat melting the snow.

"You wanna talk about that? Or do you wanna go back to the house and up to my room?" Jasper asked.

Leah sat up grinning "I'll make you a deal, I give you something good, and you tell me how I can help you love yourself."

Jasper sat up on his elbows, Leah placed her hands on his chest. "That's a tall order darlin'." Jasper said.

Leah kissed him, her hands still on his chest, her mouth hot, her entire body was hot. The snow fell around them, picking up in intensity. She pulled away and stared at him, "For an old, depressed, suicidal bloodsucker you're an amazing kisser."

"I figured I was out of practice, come on sugar, let's go and help you start this grieving thing." Jasper said.

"You'll grieve with me because you love me." Leah said, her black eyes shining like onyx.

"I'll grieve with you because I love you." Jasper said.

Leah helped Jasper to his feet, and she immediately collapsed into him. Rubbing snot and tears against his bare chest. They stood there in the snow like that, Jasper rubbing her back while she cried, Leah saying my dad over and over again. It was midnight when she finally felt like she had run out of tears, and she took Jasper's hand and he led her back to the house, Leah hiccuped a few times on the walk, and Jasper understood. When they walked through the door, Emmett was sitting on the couch tuning his guitar, Edward was playing Super Mario World with Alice, and Rosalie was sitting next to Emmett, testing the pull on a compound bow.

"My brother likes that game." Leah said.

They all looked over at her and Jasper, Alice grinned. "Howdy Leah." Alice said, waving.

"Hey lovebirds." Emmett said, plucking a string on the guitar.

"Hello Leah." Edward said, his hair had grown, or maybe it always looked like this and Leah just didn't notice because she hardly ever saw him without that cap on his head. It was a shaggy bronze-brown mop that didn't seem to lay down flat at all, it corkscrewed and pointed and framed his eternally mopey face.

"Hi Leah." Rosalie said, "Have you eaten?"

Leah shook her head "I don't have much appetite today Rosalie."

"I would ask what happened to Jasper's shirt, but I know my brother." Rosalie said.

Jasper laughed "I'm going to go and shower, don't need this judgement." and he turned and walked upstairs.

Leah went and sat on the couch next to Edward, Rosalie turned to her "That's your truck out there huh hon?" she said.

"Yeah, it used to um… it belonged to my dad." Leah said.

Emmett smiled a bit and shook his head, "He must've taken pretty good care of it if it's still running." he said.

"He used to say it was his other kid." Leah said and Emmett laughed and plucked another string.

Alice stretched out, putting her small feet on the arm of the couch and her spiky hair on Edward's thigh. "I used to want one of those, but I'm not cool enough I think… I've just got my little El Camino."

"Where is your car even at Alice?" Leah asked. "I've seen every other one but yours."

Alice shrugged "I keep it in the garage. I don't drive often, probably should but I'd rather ride."

"It's the punk rock in you." Edward said, stealing a Yoshi from Alice.

"No fair dick!" Alice said.

"Edward cheats, ain't nobody ever told you that Alice?" Emmett said.

"Quick reflexes are not cheating Emmett." Edward said.

"Any leads?" Leah asked. "I'm burning up for revenge."

"A few. We're going to need your help. Put aside the animosity and work together, Victoria is going to be coming in force, and we seven can't beat a large force." Edward said.

"You can't?" Leah asked.

Emmett shrugged "Never fought that many at once, a bunch of human eating newborns, even if we match em', enough could get through that they'd either kill people in town, or get to Bella and maybe Charlie." he plucked the guitar again, and smiled. "Got it."

"We'll help, I'll have to run it by Rachel, Jacob and Sam though. I'm just a Beta, I can't make the call." Leah said.

"A what?" Edward asked. "Is that new?"

Leah laughed "Rachel and Jacob kind of turned things on their head."

"I bet, two Omega's. As if one wasn't difficult enough." Rosalie said.

Alice winked at her "What's life without excitement, remember Rosie?"

Rosalie laughed "What's life without excitement."

Jasper came back downstairs, having changed into a short sleeved white t-shirt and jeans. Alice sat up and Jasper sat next to Edward, Alice lay back down on his thigh. Leah pushed Edward over and sat next to Jasper, she put her head on his shoulder and fell asleep almost immediately.

"Girlfriends huh?" Emmett said, chuckling.

Rosalie, Alice and Jasper laughed and Edward cracked a smile, "Yeah, first they wanna beat ya to death then they wanna fall asleep on ya." Jasper said.

"I called Katie, she said just give the word and she'll be down here with Tanya, Irina and Carmen." Alice said.

"El can't make it?" Jasper said.

"I asked the same thing, he's running through Brazil." Alice said.

"Lookin' for Zafrina probably." Jasper said.

"Who?" Emmett asked.

"Zafrina Matamoros, not a governor or nothing, but she keeps that area of Brazil independent from the Imperium." Jasper said. "Fought her a couple times, she's on another level."

"She would have to be if she fought you more than once." Rosalie said.

Jasper let Leah sleep while they sat and spoke quietly around her, eventually he woke her up to go and take a shower. Afterward Leah crawled into Jasper's bed to sleep, he stood in the doorway and watched as she made herself comfortable. "Nice beds for people who don't - Leah yawned - don't sleep."

"Got to be comfortable." Jasper said.

Leah curled up with Jasper's pillow, and Jasper was flooded with lust at the sight of one strong brown thigh. "Got to be comfortable." Leah said, yawning again. "Goodnight, thanks for letting me crash."

"Of course, sleep well darlin'" Jasper said, closing the door.

"Jasper." Leah called from the other side.

Jasper opened the door and stuck his head in the room "Yeah?"

"If you're not gonna lay with me hillbilly, come give me a kiss." Leah said.

Jasper stepped into the room and knelt down, he kissed Leah goodnight. "Goodnight." Jasper said.

"Lay down with me stupid." Leah said, her eyes closed.

Jasper chuckled and stripped down to his underwear, he lay in the bed next to Leah and she curled herself around him and fell asleep immediately again, her warm breath tickling gently against his throat.

Downstairs Emmett and Rosalie had gone into the arcade to play Mrs. Pac Man, and Edward and Alice were still playing Super Mario World.

"You know, Carlisle isn't always right. He's right a lot of the time, but not always." Alice said.

"Is this Bella talk?" Edward said, navigating Luigi through one of the more difficult bonus stages.

"You didn't hear yourself on the phone, go see her Edward. You obviously miss her." Alice said.

"It's a small price to pay for her safety." Edward said.

"Victoria is in Oregon, Alec is in Seattle, and Jane is looking for Victoria. Every report of deaths or disappearance out of that state can't all be related to Victoria. We can only wait, I wish we could do more but we can't." Alice said. "But you shouldn't punish Bella, bad enough she has to worry about crazy redheads wanting to kill her, she should have her stupid boyfriend worrying with her."

"I'm not trying to punish her." Edward said.

"Well you are, go and see her Edward." Alice said.

Edward stood up and jammed his knit cap on his head, he walked over to the door and put on the familiar flyers. "I was kind of looking forward to watching you play Chrono Trigger." Edward said.

"It will be here when you get back, get going!" Alice said.

Edward walked to Charlie's, well aware it was nearly 6 in the morning on a Sunday. Well aware that he hadn't seen Bella since early September and it was a week into December. When 8 o'clock in the morning rolled around Edward was scaling the tree in the yard. He sat in the branches, watching Bella walk into the room. Wrapped in a towel, her hair wet. Seeing her filled him with indescribable joy, an incomparable warmth that he didn't exactly have words for. She wasn't quite the same, she had lost a bit of weight, and her limp had diminished further still. He slid his phone out of his pocket and dialed her new number.

He watched her scramble for her phone, she picked it up and sat on the bed. "Hello? Edward?"

"Hi Bella." Edward said.

She melted at the sound of his voice, curling up on the bed. "Hi, how are you?" Bella asked.

"I'm fine, just you know, cool vampire stuff." Edward said.

Bella laughed "Cool vampire stuff, I bet."

"What are you doing?" Edward asked.

"Uhm… I just showered, I was thinking about making breakfast. But this jerk who likes breaking hearts called and it distracted me." Bella said.

"Maybe he's not a jerk. Maybe he just loves you with the entirety of his being, and only wants what's best for you." Edward said.

"He's still a jerk, he hurt my feelings, but maybe I'm a dumbass cause I'm still super obsessed, all I can think about is when he makes me laugh and smile." Bella said.

"Open the window please." Edward said.

Bella started on the bed and walked quickly to the window. She opened it and stepped backward, "I missed you jerk."

Edward leapt from the tree to the bedroom in one quick hop. He took his cap off and tossed it on the bed, he unlaced and took off his shoes "I missed you too." he said.

"I am… I am so glad to see you again. So glad, Edward I missed you." Bella said, stepping closer. "I missed you so much. Come give me a hug."

Edward went to Bella and hugged her, breathing deeply of her scent. How he missed her, how had he deluded himself into believing that he could allow himself to be away from her now that he had been near her.

"When I let go you better not leave." Bella said.

"No, never again. Not unless you tell me." Edward said.

"I've heard that before, so you better mean it or I'll think you're leaving to bang hot vampire sluts." Bella said, burying her face in his chest.

Edward laughed and Bella's heart soared, god she loved his laugh. "Hot vampire sluts?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, hot vampire sluts. They look like models, sound like phone sex operators and go ass to mouth." Bella said.

Edward laughed again "What to what?"

Bella giggled and pressed closer "Fucking Quil." she pulled away "You look rough, you weren't being stupid were you?"

"Define stupid." Edward said.

"Edward! You were being reckless weren't you!" Bella said, pushing him. "You jerk! You could've gotten killed!"

"It was just a bit of fighting, I'm still alive." Edward said.

"God, so smart but so dumb." Bella said. "You are the ultimate proof that no matter how old men get they're still dumb."

Edward laughed and picked Bella up "I shouldn't have left my brain in this bedroom."

Bella blushed "I should be mad, but like… like I think I'm too horned up to be mad. You're still a jerk though."

"I am. A stupid jerk." Edward said.

"You'll find Victoria, and you'll keep us all safe." Bella said.

"I hope so." Edward said.

Bella kissed him, and to her great relief he kissed back and his mouth was as wonderful as it always was. And Bella was reminded of the old expression about absence and its ability to make hearts grow fonder, and Edward was pulling his shirt off and pressing Bella against the wall, her hands were tracing his smooth stomach.

"Wait wait wait." Edward said, pulling away. "Wait, no no I can't."

"You can, this is it. Don't hold back now." Bella said, kissing him again.

And before she noticed he was shifting her, and then he was inside of her, it hurt terribly for a bare second and then a wave of pleasure rolled through her. And she was staring into his eyes and he was staring into hers, and then he moved again and she wasn't staring at anything because she was too busy coming to look. She pulled him closer to her and cried out his name. Edward grinned and looked at her "I love making you feel good."

"Oh you did, oh you did you did. Do it again, do it again keep going I know you can, keep going." Bella said.

"I was worried, worried I'd hurt you." Edward said, and he was moving again, and Bella felt like maybe her brain was breaking because of the stimulation. That it shouldn't feel this good, it shouldn't feel this complete. "Am I hurting you?" Edward asked.

Bella focused her eyes again and shook her head fervently "No! No keep going keep going."

Edward grinned and started moving again, his pace slow, savouring the liquid gold feel of her. Savouring her breath on his throat, the feel of her soft thighs around his waist, the thump of her heart. And then she was coming again, it was a harder orgasm this time, and he was stunned into laughter by the wet that poured over his hips.

"You feel so good, you feel amazing, I missed you, never leave me again." Bella said, her breaths quick. "Never leave me."

"Never again my love." Edward said, and he thrust into her again, and she moaned long and loud. "Never again." and then he was coming, spilling himself inside of her, filling her full of himself, and Bella moaned again.

"Oh yes yes yes, so hot, so wonderful." Bella said, her head falling on Edward's shoulder. "Come in me again, fill me up."

Edward laughed "That takes time, did you sleep through sex ed?"

"I probably did miss most of it, but I need more. I need you to keep coming in me. Keep filling me up, keep making me yours." Bella said.

"Teenage sex leads to teenage pregnancy." Edward said, kissing Bella.

"You're sterile, no dhampirs." Bella said, moving her hips impatiently. "It's been thirty years, you've got more."

She was right, he had scarcely finished coming and he was already erect again. He slid back into her and Bella bit her lip and moaned, it was better than any feeling he could remember. Having only had sex with two people he didn't have a heap to compare it to, but it felt right. So right. He walked Bella over to the bed and lay down with her, he moved slowly inside of her exulting in the feeling. "Oh, oh I'm going to come again, oh oh." Bella gasped out, another long low moan escaping her lips "Three months, don't you feel - and she moaned again - don't you feel how right this is. Oh baby don't you feel how right I am. Don't, don't stop." Bella said.

"I won't." Edward said, kissing her deeply as he matched her rhythm, awkward as her rhythm was in her virginal excitement. "I won't stop, I won't forget."

"It's your's, it's all your's. Only your's, ohhhh fuck!" Bella cried out as the pleasure crested and she came again, and this time he came with her, and it was right. He was a vampire, he had picked his mate, for Bella there was always an option, but for him there could only be her.

"It should be, it should be illegal to make anyone feel that good. I came like a hundred times." Bella said, running her hands over Edwards scarred back. "And I still want more, I need more keep going."

Edward kissed her and smiled "It's only impressive because you have no grounds for comparison."

Bella grinned "It's impressive because you're amazing in bed. I didn't think it was possible for my eyes to roll back so far I was staring at my brain, but then you'd do that thing."

"What thing? This thing?" Edward asked, and he moved inside of her. To his great surprise she actually purred and dug her fingers into his shoulders.

"Yeeesss, that thing. That whatever that is." Bella said

Edward laughed and kissed her "Sunday morning, we should be in Church, not engaging in debauched premarital sex."

"I don't have too much religion, and my dad is out of town. You can come over every day and have sex with me." Bella said, attempting to pull him closer. "Is this as close as you can get?"

"Two solid objects can't occupy the same space at the same time love." Edward said, and he sat up. And Bella did indeed nearly go nuclear seeing him completely naked.

"You're so skinny, how are you so fit?" Bella asked, running her hand over his stomach.

"My diet probably, stop looking at me like that, you're the amazing one here." Edward said, smiling.

Bella sat up and kissed him, "I gotta go shower again and get all of this vampire cum out of me." and she giggled.

Bella went to the shower and Edward picked up his phone, Jane had texted. Twenty-six newborns Victoria had made, well on their way from Portland. Jane would not interfere, Victoria was within the realm of the law. Victoria couldn't be interfered with unless the situation was out of control, the Cullens would simply have to fend for themselves. Edward grinned, a fight, a chance at revenge, a chance to protect.

He sent a group text to the family, letting them know what he knew. Letting them know it was time for the big showdown. Carlisle texted back that they would meet in the clearing near the outskirts of town. Edward called Jane.

"Thank you Jane." Edward said.

"You owe me. After this is finished me and my boys will come to town to talk to your family, pay you what we have to, and clean up afterward." Jane said.

"Why not stop her yourself? You know what she's doing." Edward said.

"My reasons are my own, don't worry why I'm not stopping her, just be grateful I'm telling you what I'm telling you." Jane said.

"Alright." Edward said, hanging up.

Bella came back from the shower, rubbing a towel through her hair. "Hey handsome."

"Hello beautiful." Edward said.

"I love you Edward, I love you so much. You can never leave me again, you broke my defenses this time, but next time you might not be so lucky." Bella said.

Edward nodded "I understand, I won't mess you up like that again."

"You had better not, I can't handle that twice." Bella said, coming over to sit next to Edward. "You made me feel so good, Edward I am so happy you were my first. I am so happy I could share my body with you in full."

Edward blushed, "I'm happy I could share myself with you, that I could feel you."

Bella kissed him, moving herself into his lap, "If someone had told me I would lose my virginity to my true love, I would have laughed. But I did, and it was amazing and it was special, and it felt just right."

"I'm glad, I'm glad you still wanted me. I'm glad I didn't lose you Bella, I'm glad you didn't find someone else." Edward said.

"I'm yours and you're mine and that's how it will be." Bella said.

"I've got to go, we need to prepare for Victoria." Edward said.

"Will I be safe?" Bella said.

"You've got two giant wolf boys sitting outside right now. Embry and Quil, you'll be fine." Edward said.

"They're outside?!" Bella said, pulling a blanket around herself and getting up to look outside, seeing nothing.

Edward laughed and walked over to her, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close "Yes they're outside, in a surprisingly good mood. You were right when you said that we are protectors, they are protecting, and they're having a great time doing it." Edward could hear their thoughts, hear the thoughts of the entire pack, excepting Leah and Seth the rest of them were shifted, prowling the forest, prowling the mountains. Their weird growl voices were still slightly unbearable, but they were indeed enjoying themselves. Especially Rachel and Jacob.

Bella was blushing in Edward's arms, "You guys are all so cool." Bella said.

"You're the cool one darling." Edward said. He dressed quickly, jamming the knit cap on his head.

"Do you want your bracelet back?" Bella asked, lifting her right arm.

"No my love, it's yours for as long as you want." Edward said. "I'll tell you how I got it one of these days."

Bella smiled "Go and be Batman with your undead Justice League."

Edward smirked and hopped on the windowsill, Embry and Quil sensed him instantly and stepped out so that Edward could see them, they both made that low clacking noise. And even though they weren't extraordinarily excited to see the parasite, they were happy to see Bella happy. She waved at them from the window "My musketeers!" she called out. They both smiled at her, their mouths pulling back from their teeth, before going back into brush. Edward dropped from the window and ran home as quickly as he could, when he arrived the family was gathered in the living room. Alice was hanging up the phone, the Denalis were very much on their way, and would be arriving in a weeks time. They would undoubtedly shift the tide of battle, though only two of them had abilities, Irina and Carmen were extremely capable combatants.

"We ready for war Eddie?" Jasper asked, standing up from his leaning position on the sofa. Alice hopped up and over, standing next to him.

"We'll be ready, we've never fought a group of newborns before." Edward said. "And they're still up on us by 20 people."

"Hopefully we'll have 11 specialized vampire hunters marching into battle with us. We'll handle this." Jasper said.

Alice nodded as Emmett and Rosalie came downstairs "We meeting them halfway or what?" Emmett asked.

Edward shook his head "No, no telling how they are coming at us. I'm thinking that… that I might use Bella as bait. Only with her consent of course."

Jasper shrugged "Lure Victoria and a few newborns off the path, they're all throwaway from what I heard. Victoria will bring two or three with her if she's smart, use the rest to attempt to kill us."

"Yes, me and a shifter will take care of Victoria and whomever else she brings with her. I don't know which shifter just yet."

"Me." Leah said from the stairs "I'll come with you Edward, I owe her."

They all looked at her, she was wearing one of Jasper's chambray shirts and it was huge on her. A pair of spare capris from the extra bedroom, a set of boots on her sockless feet. "The agreement official then darlin'" Jasper said.

Leah looked at him and smiled "Yeah baby, it is."

Emmett grinned hugely "Oh man, time for the big brawl. The fucking showdown, ain't had no action like this since the 70's."

Rosalie laughed and patted his arm "The showdown?"

"Guns at noon, draw pilgrim and all that." Emmett said.

"Draw pilgrim?" Jasper said.

"Draw pilgrim!" Alice said.

Leah and Rosalie laughed and Edward grinned. "Only my brother would find excitement in a life or death situation." Edward said.

Emmett knuckled his arm "Best of the best big bro, Fabulous Five and Shifters, we don't lose round here."

Edward called Bella and outlined the plan, he wasn't sure how she'd take it, putting her life in mortal peril. But she responded surprisingly well, Bella wasn't excited by the prospect but she understood the concept of desperate times requiring desperate measures. Alice was surprised when her pictures clued her into the exact date of Victoria's arrival, but not the outcome of the battle. But as usual she was excited about a future she couldn't see, truly what was life without excitement.

The snow was falling thick and fast by January, and Bella's guts were tied in knots. She had been accepted into Washington U alongside Angela and class valedictorian Jessica. Jessica was originally going to go to Barnard, but she decided Washington would be a more comfortable first time. Bella was filled with hope even though Victoria was undoubtedly coming to butcher her and turn Forks into a charnel house. But the plan Carlisle, Edward and Jasper had outlined alongside Rachel and Billy was quite good.

Meeting the Denali sisters was also an interesting experience, Edward's ex not-girlfriend Tanya, who despite being extraordinarily sweet to Bella, and showing a ridiculous amount of happiness at Edward having found someone, still brought her mood a bit of sourness because she was so unbelievably hot. She was the hot vampire slut Bella had talked about, with a body like a porn star and a voice like a phone sex operator.

Kate and Irina were also amazing, and they were absolutely fascinated by the shifters, with Kate claiming she had never seen humans capable of magic, and Irina saying such things died out with her former leaders. Carmen was pleasant but distant, she interacted fully only with her sisters and Carlisle, which Edward explained wasn't a matter of haughtiness or dislike but simply her personality.

All four of them were impressed by Bella's latent ability however, Kate had used her electricity on her to absolutely no effect. And even Tanya's weaponry, if composed of her own personal dust, simply crumbled back into dust as soon as it made contact with Bella's skin. Tanya offered to teach her how to use her ability as a human, but Bella explained to her the same as she explained to Jasper that she had no plans on fighting vampires any time soon.

"You won't be fighting with or against us Bella Swan, but even as a human I'm sure you can find many ways to use your ability. It is a tangible thing, my weapons are not easily broken." Tanya said one day in the backyard of the Cullen house, helping Bella practice with her harpy.

"I don't think I can Tanya." Bella said, sweat pouring down her face. She jabbed the knife and Tanya used her ability to snick the blade closed. Bella looked at the knife and laughed.

"Nonsense Bella Swan, you fill one of my dearest friends with life and vigor, he cannot lose you, and for his sake nor can I. You must train your ability, it is potent for a human, unusually so." Tanya said, sitting down. "I do not know much about these things, Eleazar, my sister's husband would be far more helpful in explaining this than I, but it is my understanding that humans with abilities as potent as yours can draw out more of it even without being changed."

Bella sat next to her, jealous of her looks though she was, Tanya was too sweet, too kind, and far too platonic and respectful in her interactions with Edward for Bella to hate her. "Is that rare?"

"Yes and no Bella Swan. Edward, Jasper and Lord Carlisle are examples of vampires who possessed proficiency in their abilities before their change. One of our lord's as well, he was extraordinarily proficient in his ability before his change, as well as several guardsmen. What makes yours stand out Bella Swan is the potency of your ability as a human. Even with your shield Edward should be able to read your mind, but he cannot and that should be impossible." Tanya settled back, and Bella despaired at her high, full breasts. Tanya noticed her expression and laughed. "Fear not my sweet, Edward Cullen is yours. Body and soul. He and I are merely dear friends, I would never think to take him from you, it was in fact my dearest wish that he would find you."

Bella heaved a sigh and looked at Tanya appreciatively "Really?"

"Yes, it was my wish that he would find a true love. You are it, if he begins his moping alert me immediately, and I will beat him until he ceases his stupidity." Tanya said, and she winked.

Bella laughed, "You're amazing though, I can see how a guy would fall for you."

"Pah, men. I am my own joy, I love the men in my life, but do I or any other women require men for happiness? No, and it is a ridiculous notion to believe so. The love of my sisters, and my dear Cullens and Hales is the only love I require. And shortly, after we have come to know each other Bella Swan, I will enjoy your love as well." Tanya said, spinning her dust into a small tornado. "I do envy your human fragility, to see you continue on is impressive."

"That's impressive." Bella said, gazing at the small tornado in wonder.

Tanya laughed her beautiful laugh "I was born with this dust. I can control most metal, but this dust is special, I have more control over it than other metals, it responds to me as if it were another limb."

"So you're also one of those vampires who could use your ability as a human." Bella said, her eyes big as grapes.

"Indeed Bella Swan, my control was minimal, but the dust followed me everywhere, it settles underneath my skin. It is a part of me." Tanya stopped the tornado and turned the dust into a star, a small spinning top, a tiny lion, a bull.

"Holy shit." Bella said.

Tanya smiled "Would you like to see something somewhat more impressive than my small toys Bella Swan?"

Bella nodded fervently, "Yes."

Tanya stood up and went inside, her woolen jacket swishing gently. She came back 5 minutes later with Kate, Alice, Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie. "I love when she does this." Alice said, sitting down next to Bella.

"Yeah, this is damned amazing, you're gonna be tripping Bella." Emmett said.

Rosalie leaned against Jasper, they too also appeared excited. Bella could feel something like electricity in the air, she looked around and a field of it was crackling over Kate. It was lifting her hair, she followed Tanya down the steps, a grin on her face.

"You must be quite taken with Bella Swan to show her this." Kate said still grinning.

"She wished to be impressed sweet sister, let us impress her." Tanya said, she lifted her hand and formed her dust into several small darts. They floated around her, "These are tags Bella, and when I do this - Tanya waved her hand, embedding the tags into the bark of one of the trees in the yard - the tags stick."

Bella was staring, "And your sister ate the Goro Goro no Mi…" she said in wonderment.

Everyone looked at Bella, their expressions slightly confused. "I mean uh… she can control electricity…" Bella said, blushing.

Kate laughed, "Not just control, I can create." and the thunder crack that followed forced Bella to cover her ears as a stream of electricity flowed from Kate's hands to strike each of the tags stuck into the tree, splitting it apart. Bella stood up from the porch, her mouth hanging open. She had gathered the idea from the minute she saw Tanya put the tags in the tree, but it was still amazing to see.

"I am just so boring." Edward said from the back door "A housefull of abilities and mine is the least combat effective."

Emmett laughed "At least you're faster than a greased weasel fancyboy."

"He's got plus 10 AR-15 resistance." Alice said, standing up and leaning against Kate.

"He's also quite insulated." Kate said, pulling Alice closer to her.

"Got a hard fuckin' head too, like tryin to crack a goddamn coconut." Jasper said.

"And the privacy invasion, that's a unique talent he possesses." Rosalie said.

"Not to mention my darling makes an excellent sheath for a spear." Tanya said, her smile wide.

Bella laughed and walked up the stairs to stand next to Edward, putting her arm around his waist "You guys leave my boyfriend alone, I'm sorry they always gang up on you."

Edward blushed "It's why I'm so sullen, I tried to tell you."

"What a kodak moment! I gotta go get my camera!" Alice said, rushing back into the house.

When Alice came back out she was dragging Esme and Carlisle with her. Irina and Carmen following behind, their faces bemused. Alices camera was bouncing off of her chest, in her hand was a tripod. She marched them to the back porch. "Ok, family photo time."

"Really Alice?" Irina asked.

"Yes really, photographs are memories. And I for one never want to forget anything again, so get next to Katie and your sisters! Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett you three stand together, Edward you get in between Carlisle and Esme. Bella where are you going?!" Alice said.

Bella blushed and ran her right hand through her hair, "You said family photo." she muttered.

"And you are family! You get over here in front of Edward!" Alice said.

Bella walked over to Edward, still blushing furiously. She stood in front of him, and Edward put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Bella blushed more furiously still and Tanya laughed, "So adorable."

Carlisle squeezed Bella's arm gently "It is a pleasure to have you back Bella."

"It's a pleasure to be back Carlisle." Bella said, still blushing. She stood there, feeling incredibly awkward surrounded by all of these beautiful and unimaginably powerful people, feeling incredibly geeky in her Nine Inch Nails t-shirt and blue jeans. Edward standing behind her, smelling like the sweetest chocolate, his plain white sleeveless hoodie with a large black question mark in the center, the faded blue jeans and PF Flyers, a knit cap on his head, a knit cuff on his wrist. She looked to the left, Esme standing there in her blue sundress, her brown hair pulled up in it's bun, her smile bright. Carlisle on the right, his slacks and shirt perfectly ironed, his grey cardigan open. Behind her were the Denalis, Irina standing tall and straight, her cornsilk blonde hair worn long, her black dress with the steel pauldrons on the shoulders, the hem of the dress lined with iron. Tanya in her woolen jacket and black tank-top, her black slacks and black flats, Carmen in her wonderfully elaborate hooded dress her thick black curls and jeweled fingers, Kate in her black suit, the shoulders of which also possessing metal pauldrons, her heavy steel greaves.

Jasper standing just behind them, his thick hair pulled back and held in place by the golden circlet. His blue chambray shirt and deep dark raw denim jeans, a stetson hat hanging from neck. Emmett in his Steelers jersey and heavy khaki pants, his steel toed boots and golden watch. Rosalie, makeup perfect as always, her hair perfect, her open throated white blouse and black capris, standing between her brother and her husband.

Last was Alice, dressed in her unconscious imitation of punk rockers of yore, the leather shirt she was wearing torn and faded, covered in pins, buttons and patches. Her torn black skinny jeans, Doc Martens on her feet, bangles and bracelets and cuffs adorning her arms. She set the camera and rushed to join them, she put her fingers up. "V for victory!" she crowed, and everyone followed her, even Bella. "V for victory!" they cried out as the camera flashed.

Jane sat in her library, the book open on her lap was Treasure Island. Her head was resting against the elaborate chair she sat in, her eyes closed. There was a knock at the door. "Come in, Selim." Jane said.

The door opened and a short and gorgeous turkish boy came in, his long blue-black hair had the look and feel of silk, his eyelashes were a full and sooty black, his eyebrows perfectly arched. His overall appearance was extraordinarily feminine, his eyes were large, his nose perfectly set. His lips were a full and gorgeous red, and strangely enough his eyes were not golden, but a shining shade of lilac. His thin white dress was adorned in swirling barely visible patterns. His fingers were thin and delicate, white Mary Janes on his feet. "Are you ready for your report mistress?" his voice was as delicate as the rest of him, and equally feminine.

Jane nodded, closing the book and standing up to face him. She was wearing a long black dress, heavy steel pauldrons attached to the shoulders, a heavy hood hanging from the neck, the Imperial emblem sewn into the back.

"Victoria is on the move, she originally acquired 46 newborns, but me and Alec and Prin pared that number down to 35. Only two of them are talented, the first is a boy named Frederick. And his talent is purely defensive, he induces a field of repulsion. He cannot attack, nor can he be attacked when the ability is activated. The second is a girl named Brielle, and her ability is simple and common, little more than the standard masking talent." Selim said, his sooty eyelashes waved prettily as he blinked.

Jane walked over to him and ruffled his hair, she stood a full head taller than the diminutive boy. "And the Cullens?"

"They have sought the assistance of the Denali clan. That evens the odds greatly in their favor, the possibility is quite high mistress that Victoria may not be able to kill Alice Cullen." Selim said, taking Jane's strong and rough hand in his two delicate hands and cradling it. "Was I a good boy mistress?" he asked, gazing at Jane.

"Yes you were my little Selim, you were a very good boy." Jane said.

"You are not upset that Victoria may fail?" Selim asked.

Jane shook her head and smiled her radiant smile "No, no in fact I'm counting on her failure now. Loose ends would be very bad, did Prin have the opportunity to speak with Victoria?"

"Yes mistress." Selim said.

"Gooood, I like it when my boys succeed. You'll be meeting my brother soon Selim, put on your Sunday best." Jane said.

"Mistresses brother? Am I worthy of such an honor?" Selim asked, hopping up and down on his small feet, his dress floating.

"How long have you been one of my boys Selim?" Jane asked, turning back to the fire that was blazing in the fireplace.

"100 years mistress." Selim said, his brilliantly lilac eyes full of adoration.

"And have you disappointed me in those 100 years my dear little Selim?" Jane asked, her eyes full of fire.

"No mistress, you taught me a long time ago how you feel about disappointment." Selim said.

Jane turned to him, her arms open wide "Then you are more than worthy to meet Balor."

Another knock at the door, Selim turned his head to the door, his fingers twitching. "Come in." Jane said.

The door opened and Alec came in, alongside him was a tall and handsome congolese man, his age between twenty-three and twenty-seven. His skin was a smooth black plane, his hair was thick and a rich brown. His nose wide and flat, his mouth wide, his lips full. His suit was immaculately cut, and also bore the Imperial emblem on the back. He carried with him a small silver dagger that he twirled around his fingers ceaselessly.

Alec's appearance had changed again, perhaps as a consequence of having a full charge he looked radically different from the half charge he was at when he met Edward outside of the hospital, and the quarter charge he was at when he met Victoria in Seattle. His hair was a deep auburn that curled perfectly, his nose thin. His eyes were wide and energetic, his mouth mobile and lascivious. He seemed to be emanating light. His simple t-shirt and jeans were at odds with his positively cherubic face.

"Ah, Alec and Prin, I've missed you." Jane said.

"We have missed you as well Mistress." Prin said, going to stand next to Selim.

Alec pointed at the fireplace, the fire snuffed out immediately and a glowing orb of light began to bob in the center of the room. "We sure have." Alec said.

"Selim was just telling me about your fun little trip to Portland." Jane said.

Alec shrugged and Prin smiled, "It was boring mistress." Alec said, "but we cannot risk your brother."

Prin looked at Jane "Mistress, is it worth all of this? We were under the impression you wanted a few of that coven dead."

"Oh I do, but this isn't the way to go about it. Victoria is a loose end, and loose lips sink ships Prin." Jane said.

Prin nodded and pulled a small glowing cube from his suit jacket. "Her memories of interacting with you mistress. Pocketed for your convenience." Prin crushed the cube, it disappeared into sparkling bits of light "Destroyed at your command."

Jane laughed again, "I love my boys." she sat in the chair again and picked up Treasure Island, "Go and prepare, we are going to be very busy here in a little bit."

Alec pointed at the fireplace and the orb disappeared as the fire relit, "Gonna meet the Devil King." he said.

Alec held the door open for Prin as he stepped out, Alec followed, closing the door behind himself. "Yes, Selim?" Jane asked, not looking up from her book.

"I merely wanted to be with you mistress." Selim said.

Jane laughed, "Have you ever read Treasure Island?"

Selim shook his gorgeous head "No mistress."

"Then you come over here, and you sit in my lap, and I'll read it to you you pretty little thing." Jane said.

Selim skipped over and hopped into Jane's proffered lap. She flipped the leather bound book back to the first page "The Old Sea-dog at the Admiral Benbow." Jane began, her voice dropping to a whisper.

Bella tossed her work vest on the recliner and sat on the couch. Victoria would be arriving in 4 days, and the prospect twisted her guts up. She wasn't worried about the shifters, and she wasn't worried about the Justice League, but she did feel an aching upset about the people being killed along the way. Strangers to her, but not to others. That Victoria was on the move at all, with a grouping of ravenous newborns at her back, tromping through states to butcher her and Edward because Victoria's stupid ass dead boyfriend was a psychopath.

But why did that mean strangers had to die? Men and women and children had to die because James wanted to settle an old vendetta and his luck ran out? It was unfair, unfair that these unknown and uninformed people had to pay the price for the actions of two monsters. Bella picked up her phone and called Charlie.

"Hey sugarlump." Charlie said.

"Hey dad, how's the trip?" Bella asked.

"Colorado is lovely, loving the weather, the mountains. All of it, it was just what I needed. I was overdue for a vacation anyway." Charlie said

"That's so awesome dad." Bella said, "When are you coming back?"

"In a week. Whenever Bill and Frankie feel like they've had enough fun hustling these locals at card games." Charlie said, chuckling. "You doing ok alone sugar?"

"Nervous about graduation, but other than that…" Bella said.

"Don't be, in addition to being a weird kid you're a smart one Bells. You'll do fine in college. But hey I've gotta go, got a hot tub date." Charlie said.

"Jesus, you and Billy were just dying for the alone time." Bella said, giggling.

"Haha, very funny wiseass. Have a good evening Bells, I love you, and if you need anything just let me know." Charlie said.

"I will, love you dad." Bella said.

She called Edward next, when he picked up she could hear Emmett, Kate, Irina and Rosalie laughing in the background. "Hello beautiful."

"Hi Edward, are you busy? Is this a bad time?" Bella said.

"Oh no, never a bad time for you. I haven't seen you today, do you want me to come over?" Edward asked.

"Of course." Bella said.

"I'll be right there." Edward said, before he hung up she could hear him snarking at Emmett.

Bella went upstairs and bathed, she changed clothes and texted Renee and Jake. She went back downstairs and sat on the couch, she turned on the TV and opened one of her birthday books finally. The Portrait Of Dorian Gray, she had always meant to read it but never got around to it. She sat on the couch, curled up in a ball, reading quietly when she heard the steady, throaty rumble of the Camaro. It had been a while since she had heard it, she hopped up from the couch just as Edward pushed the doorbell.

"Hey!" Bella said, pulling Edward inside.

Edward laughed and closed the door, he was holding a small messenger bag similar to the one Bella carried. Printed on it's black sides in blue were pieces of liner notes.

"What's in the bag?" Bella asked, sitting on the couch.

"Movies, you and I are going to have a movie date. Ease my stress, ease your stress, and just spend time with one another. As Cyrus once said, can you dig it?" Edward asked, grinning.

Bella nodded, her blush nearly as full as her smile "I can dig it."

Edward put the bag on the table, inside he had dvds of Bullitt, The Invisible Man, Brazil, Dr. Strangelove, and Cannonball Run.

"Well? What do you think?" Edward asked, his grin replaced with a smile.

"I think you're kind of a badass." Bella said "I'm so making popcorn for this."

Edward laughed and followed Bella into the kitchen, he admired her body as she reached into the cabinet for the popcorn box. "Are you anxious?" she asked, tearing open the wrapper.

Edward shook his head "Anxious no, I'm not gleeful about throwing myself and my family headlong into battle, but we have faced infinitely worse."

"Yeah, I guess the soft human is the one chink in a pretty impenetrable suit of armor huh?" Bella said, standing on tiptoes to reach a cabinet.

Edward came over and placed a gentle hand on her lower back, he reached into the cabinet for her and grabbed the sea salt. "The deliciously soft human is yet another reason to stop Victoria."

Bella blushed "I know you Batman, even if I weren't involved you would've done something. Like with James." Bella poured the popcorn kernels into the air popper.

"Yes, but you're added incentive beautiful girl." Edward said, standing next to Bella, his arms crossed in front of his shirt. The shirt had a picture of Muddy Waters sewn into it.

"I wish I could do more to help, anything would be a start. She's here in part to kill me and I have to hang back while my friends and boyfriend have to risk their lives. It sucks." Bella said.

"You'll do the best thing for us you can just by not getting yourself killed." Edward said.

Bella smiled a bitter smile "But I don't want any of the people I love getting killed either."

"No one on our side is going to get killed, the newborns haven't had enough time to be truly dangerous. They're young, reckless and utterly convinced of their superiority, they'll think us old and weak animal eaters are the prey to their hunter. Unless Victoria informed them about James, which I doubt, if for no other reason than I'm sure she could honestly care less whether or not they survive." Edward said.

"That's… that's awful, so those newborns you've been killing in Seattle, do they even know why they were being killed?" Bella asked, pouring the finished popcorn into a bowl.

Edward shook his head "Some of them, the smarter ones. Victoria abandoned them to us."

"You didn't have another choice but to kill them did you?" Bella asked, turning to face Edward.

"No, I don't take pleasure in killing, Bella. But I do take pleasure in saving lives, you don't understand how humans look to newborns, particularly newborns raised under someone like Victoria." Edward said.

"We're all just little blood bags walking around, Capri Suns that scream when you jam the straw in huh?" Bella said.

Edward laughed "You have a way with words love."

Bella giggled "Do I look like a Capri Sun?"

"Hmm, I don't think I want to drink you." Edward said.

"Eat me then?" Bella asked hopping up on the counter next to the popcorn bowl.

Edward walked to her and put his hands on the counter, he leaned into Bella, his eyes locked with hers. "Eat you up." He whispered.

"Careful vampire boy, that's a legit concern." Bella said, her breathing quickening.

Edward laughed "Then how about we just watch a few movies?"

"How about we watch a few movies." Bella said, wrapping her hand in Edward's hair. "We can make out and then watch a few movies."

Edward kissed her briefly "And then we kiss while we watch movies."

Bella nodded and kissed Edward briefly in return "Yeah, I like that plan. It's a good plan. The kind of plan I would expect."

"I'm feeling a feeling, can you guess what it is?" Edward asked, his voice dropping low.

"I'll try and guess, let me guess." Bella said, "Are you feeling like sex? Maybe like watching the movies after sex? I think that would start the de-stressing process off on the right foot."

Edward bit Bella's ear and she moaned "I think it would start it on the perfect foot."

Bella laughed and sat back further on the counter "I miss you when you're not around, I'd hate to hog all of your attention though."

Edward shrugged "I don't mind you hogging my attention."

"I'm ready for this to be over, I'm making googly eyes and talking about getting laid while an army of murderers are headed my way." Bella said, "Does that make me a bad person?"

"Your priorities are definitely skewed." Edward said, grinning.

Bella tossed a handful of popcorn at him, he caught each one "I forget how fast you are." Bella said, her voice thick.

"Quick little bastard aren't I?" Edward said, dropping the popcorn back in the popper.

"Quick little bastard." Bella breathed.

"Oh, before I forget in my haste to enjoy your love, here." Edward said, "I uh… I picked something up for you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box "It uh… it took a bit of time to arrive. Shipping and all that, it uh… it was just you know… I missed your birthday."

Bella opened the little box and inside was a small sapphire ring, Bella knew a little about gemstones due to one of Renee's brief obsessions, and the perfectly cut and unflawed sapphire sitting in the small silver setting was lovely. It glowed in the kitchen light. "Dude… dude this must've cost like way too much, you could've just got me three books." Bella said.

Edward laughed "Not too much, it was 60% off. Which dropped the price to a very comfortable 2000."

"2000 bucks? That's insane!" Bella said.

Edward shook his head "The money from James has to go somewhere, we've donated as much of it as we feasibly can and we're still left with 10 million. It's not an issue to spend 2000 dollars to make you happy." Edward slipped the ring on Bella's finger "Besides, Tyler and Mike already bought you Jane's Addiction tickets."

Bella laughed and pushed him "Mind reading chode." she lifted her right hand and looked at the ring in the light "It's beautiful Edward, thank you."

"You're very welcome, it was absolutely my pleasure." Edward said.

"Won't be able to wear it till I move out though, I do not need my dad asking why my boyfriend is buying me expensive jewelry. He might think I have a sugar daddy on the side." Bella said and then she laughed.

"Well I am old enough to technically qualify as a sugar daddy." Edward said.

Bella burst out laughing, and after it tapered off into little laughs she got her wind and said "You really are! I got myself a sugar daddy!"

Edward laughed and Bella got off the counter, she took the bowl of popcorn in the living room and sat on the couch, Edward watched her from the entryway into the kitchen "You're beautiful you know." he said.

Bella blushed "I only believe that when you say it."

"Then I suppose I'll never stop saying it." Edward said, sitting down on the couch next to Bella. "So what first?"

"Bullitt, cause you dress like Steve Mcqueen." Bella said.

Edward grinned "Bullitt it is."

Bella managed to stay awake through Bullitt, she managed to make it through Cannonball Run, and finally fell asleep halfway through Brazil. She lay her head on his lap while Edward finished the movie, he picked up Dorian Gray and re-read it for the millionth time, remembering quite clearly when Alice brought it to the little house in Minnesota. It would be sink or swim soon, and as he rubbed Bella's back he pondered.

There were no draws when it came to life or death battles, there were no draws with Khalil and his band of misanthropes, there were no draws with James, there were no draws with Elise and Samson, there were no draws with Hyacinth and his mate Echinacea, Daisy didn't believe in draws either.

The family had only ever had life or death battles, victory or death. They had never known a middle ground. Khalil the ancient Persian lycanthrope firmly committed to his goal, the eradication of all vampires and the extinction of uninfected humans. The vampires like Daisy who wished to burn the world, Elise and Samson wanting to infect entire cities, Hyacinth and Echinacea and their talented coven. The Cullens on their own, standing against these monsters, assistance from the Imperium minimal as their concern was focused always on damage control, secrecy. The fearful and mighty strength of these enemies. The horror of their ideals, the blood they shed. But Carlisle had called the plays in those conflicts, Carlisle stood out in front, had attempted reason, compassion. Had honestly regretted having to slay Khalil, and shortly afterward the children. Those poor, infected, brainwashed children.

Victoria was Edward's call, he drew the lines this time. He called the play, set the strategy, and was personally invested beyond the deep and mighty desire to protect humans. Those prior enemies excepting Daisy and later James had been nothing truly personal, they merely had to be stopped. Victoria was a danger to Bella, and like James he was motivated further to win. His desire to keep her safe was his strength, past the fact that she was stealing human lives, past the fact that her newborns fed indiscriminately, past the unfortunate and enraging murder of a good man, there was Bella, short and soft and sweet.

He would be the one to kill Victoria, and he would enjoy it.

Ten hours before Victoria was set to arrive, Edward led Bella into the woods, Bella slipped her knife from her pocket with her left hand and flicked it open. "Are you sure? You don't have to do this. We're not even sure if it will be altogether necessary." Edward said.

Bella dragged the razor sharp harpy blade across her right palm, splitting it open, she hissed briefly at the pain and slapped her hand against a tree. "I'm sure, I said I wanted to do something remember?"

Edward looked at her, his eyebrow raised. Appraising the short brown haired girl wearing a white t-shirt with the words √Fucking on it. Her plain brown eyes. Her light windbreaker, the small black boots on her feet "Come on." he said.

They walked through the forest, Bella would stop occasionally to place her bloodied palm on trees. Like the newborn that had nearly killed her, the newborns that smelled the blood on the trees would… just have to eat you know?

Her blood dripped as she walked, printing the clean snow with bright spots of blood. Edward led her to the top of a ridge and handed her his scarf "Here."

Bella wrapped the scarf around her palm and knotted it, she cleared the snow off of a tree stump, sat and watched as Edward unslung the heavy duffel bag he was wearing. He unpacked it and quickly put together a tent. "Text Jacob and Rachel, let them know where we're at."

Bella texted them and waited while Edward placed a small space heater inside of the tent, he picked up a rock, tested the weight, and then flung it at a small rabbit. He hit it dead center, knocking it onto it's side then hopped into one of the trees disappearing briefly from Bella's view, when he jumped back down one minute later his arms were full of sticks from closer to the bark. Edward walked closer to the tent and stomped his foot, clearing out the snow. He quickly started a fire, Bella tossed him her knife and he skinned the rabbit, propping it up on a stick over the fire.

"I know you're nervous, but you still have to eat." Edward said, he was gazing at the rabbit.

Bella stood up from the stump and walked over, she squatted down next to him, staring at the rabbit as well. "Have you?"

Edward nodded "Hale and hearty, we went out and hunted yesterday." Edward turned the rabbit, cooking it evenly. "You need to eat."

"I'll eat when this is over, I doubt I could keep anything down right now. It's taking my all to not have the nervous shits." Bella said, "You know what band I used to be into?"

Edward raised an eyebrow again, he turned his head to look at her "What?"

"Do you know what band I used to be really into?" Bella repeated, still gazing at the fire.

"I can't read your mind, you'll have to tell me." Edward said.

"Iggy Pop and The Stooges. If… when we survive this, I'm going to go to Seattle, I'm going to go into a record store, and I'm going to buy a copy of Lust For Life, and I'm going to play it forever." Bella said.

Edward laughed and handed Bella the stick with the thoroughly cooked rabbit on it, she waited for it to cool and bit into it. It was quite good for unseasoned meat. Edward stood and turned, Jacob and Rachel were walking toward them. Rachel was wearing a plain blue sundress that stopped just above her knees, Jacob was wearing a tank top and cargo shorts, both of them were barefoot and unbothered by the snow.

"Are you ready?" Edward asked.

Rachel looked at Jacob and Jacob grinned, Rachel nodded and looked at Edward, she was grinning as well "As ready as you believe you are Cullen." Rachel said. "We'll be where we're supposed to be, Leah will be here for your backup."

"Nothing's gonna happen to you Bella, you're good dude." Jacob said, he sniffed the air. "You laid your stink down pretty good huh?"

Bella laughed and pushed Jacob's shoulder "Good enough if you can smell it Kiba."

Jacob laughed and Rachel smiled "He's right, you and everyone else will be safe. How lucky are we Jacob that we didn't get to start slow like all of the other shifters?"

"Some luck." Jacob said, "Bella, let me have some of that rabbit."

Bella took a big ripping bite of the rabbit, chewed and swallowed "No."

Jacob laughed again "Dick, from now on nothing but strawberry cream cheese."

Bella laughed and handed him the rabbit "Eat up, it's probably not going to fill you up now that you're 1000 feet tall, but it tastes good."

Jacob pulled Bella into a hug "You'll be fine dude, I can hear your guts going crazy. It's going to work out alright?"

"You sound like Edward." Bella said.

"Well Wardo's smart enough for a suckhead, he's right this time. Be easy dude, we'll win." Jacob said, he released Bella from the hug and tossed the rabbit in the air. He shifted and caught it in his jaws, he nodded his great shaggy head at Edward then turned and ran back into the brush.

Rachel nodded in Edward's direction as well, then shifted and followed after her brother. Bella looked up into the snow "We'll win." she said.

"V for victory remember?" Edward said.

"V for victory." Bella repeated before going into the tent, she sat down, too nervous to sleep.

Victoria was tearing through the forest, she had already grabbed the two best fighters she had managed to find. Caulfield and Damon weren't talented like Frederick, but they were good fighters as humans, and definitely the most dangerous soldiers she had. Riley had finally come into his own, who would have known he hated the gorilla, it didn't make him worth a shit as a fighter, but he would be a good enough distraction for the little faggot. The rest of them she spread through the forest, the stupid little human had splattered her goddamn blood everywhere, and the retards weren't disciplined enough to control themselves and focus. None of it mattered, she could smell the faggot, and the human would be with her.

"Caulfield, Damon, Riley, come on." Victoria said, "The rest of you keep moving, if you see a human, eat. If you see a vampire, kill."

The newborns moved forward, chasing after the sick oily smell in the air that blended with the smell of the human. At the end of it there was another large clearing, on the other end were 3 vampires to their 32, they were arranged in a line facing them, a tall blonde man with a scarred nose was standing in the center, the sleeves of his chambray shirt rolled up, on his left was another blonde, a woman with corkscrew curly hair, and on his right had to be the one that Victoria called Grape Ape, he was built like a block of cement.

"Look at all that goddamn action." the newborns heard grape ape say.

"Tag em' Tanya." blondie said, lifting his right hand, dropping two newborns in their stride.

"Tagging them." the other blonde said, and she waved her hand, slapping 5 tags into 5 different newborns.

The newborns did not falter in their stride, the ones that were still moving continued moving, the two that had fallen were struggling to stand. Emmett moved lightning fast, tearing up a giant spray of snow as he charged forward, followed shortly afterward by Tanya and Jasper. Tanya used what little dust she had left to make two small eskrima sticks, which she used to immediately open the skull of the first newborn she passed, taking his head off. Emmett tackled one, bringing him down, he raised his fist and shattered his skull. Jasper threw a haymaker and took off the head of an older newborn, then moved immediately backward, dodging the punches and kicks that were thrown in his direction. Tanya was moving, hitting everyone in sight, the sticks were a blur of movement. Emmett was shrugging off blows and strikes, his great fists striking out.

Alice leapt on Kate's back and Kate leapt onto Irina's hands, Irina launched her high into the sky, and the thunder cracked as Kate threw down a great bolt of electricity that struck each of the tags, shocking the newborns into a temporary pause, Alice laughed and fired herself from Kate's back, she twisted in midair and bored clean through the middle of a newborn, striking the ground and bouncing back up into the middle of three of them, striking out. The newborns still did not falter, though several of them had fallen they still outnumbered them. Irina and Carmen moved quickly, as befitting former guardsmen, Irina fought solidly, her punches and kicks lacking subtly, lacking any sort of art, they were simply designed to destroy. Carmen moved through the crowd like a knitting needle, striking rarely, but when she did the damage was maximized. Esme simply fought like the tomboy she was, throwing out artless and heavy punches and kicks, Rosalie using the kickboxing she had perfected over almost 80 years of never wanting to be a victim again. Carlisle was slow and methodical, he wasn't much of a fist fighter, he was a swordsman first and foremost, but courtesy of Tanya who created a large iron bar for him, he joined the battle in earnest.

And even at that, they still could have been overwhelmed, losses still could have been suffered. If not for the appearance of the shifters, the great bears and wolves, charging into the battlefield from the tree line. The newborns were as confused as Victoria had been, and the shifters did what they were created to do, they slew vampires. Rachel heralded their arrival by immediately shearing one of them in half, Jacob used his great paws to take heads from shoulders, the bears with their great mass easily tanked the blows that were thrown at them, shrugging them off and tearing newborns in two.

Edward sat on the ridge, Bella standing next to him, his mind filled with the sights and sounds of the battle waging below them. "They're fine, the shifters showed up. The battle is in our favor. Unfortunately you and I have company."

"How soon?" Bella asked.

"Now." Edward said, standing up. He pushed Bella in behind himself.

She looked past him as Victoria and her flunkies burst through and slowed. Caulfield was a tall white guy, his face was plain and unassuming, he looked like a used car salesman. Damon was a handsome black guy, his hair short and faded, he looked like Victoria kidnapped an underwear model at some point. And there was Riley, short and weasel faced and fretful. But he seemed more menacing than the runty little guy that tripped walking across the stage at graduation, somehow far more frightening than that guy.

"Hey there faggot." Victoria said.

Edward waved "Hello Victoria, I suppose this is your rear guard."

"They're just here for the fight." Victoria said.

"The fight is down that way, maybe you should consider going there. You'd have a better chance than staying here." Edward said. "You might get lost along the way, in which case my family might not kill you. But if you stay here I'll definitely kill you."

Caulfield laughed, "You've gotta be fucking kidding me. This is the guy? This scrawny little puke?"

"That's him." Victoria said.

Edward snorted "I'm the guy. This is my town, kill me and you can have the entire thing. It will be just like Thirty Days Of Night. An all you can eat buffet."

"Maybe your asshole brother will let me on the team this time." Riley said. "Don't mean shit that you're good at football if you're a vampire."

"If you hadn't been terrible as a human he would have." Edward said. "Victoria's boyfriend, the one who I tore up like a used piece of tissue, he was twice the fighter the four of you are. Keep that in mind before you do whatever you're thinking about doing."

Damon shrugged and stretched "Let's skip the foreplay, my dick is getting hard watching you guys dance and flirt. Kill the faggot, and then you eat the bitch over there right Victoria?"

"That's right." Victoria said, her eyes glittering.

"I'm telling you, last chance. I don't give them out, but I'm feeling generous today. Leave, leave Victoria to me; you can fuck off, and I won't kill you today. Attack me and you will die." Edward said.

"Kill him, shut his goddamn mouth." Victoria said.

To Bella everything was happening incredibly slowly, and then it suddenly sped up and Damon, Riley and Caulfield were moving. Edward lifted his hands and then he was fighting all three of them. Riley was clearly the weak link, as the majority of Edward's punches and elbows connected with him more than the other two. Caulfield and Damon blocked and landed punches, but they couldn't seem to kill the skinny white boy in the black v-neck and blue jeans, and Victoria stood there, Edward's eyes on her constantly as he punched and pushed the others away from Bella.

Edward smashed Caulfield in the face with his elbow, shattering his mouth, he dodged a heavy right hook from Damon and tossed Caulfield into him sending them both sprawling into the snow, he dodged Riley's clumsy tackle and kneed him in the guts, Riley barfed out cold air and Edward punched him in the face, smashing his nose, he pushed him away and stepped back, avoiding the flurry of blows from the healed Damon.

"Slow." Edward said, grabbing his hand and bending it, breaking the bone through his wrist. Damon shouted and dropped to a knee, Edward drove his right knee into his face twice then smashed his left foot into his face knocking him away. And then Caulfield was there, throwing out kicks and punches in flurries, Edward grabbed both of his hands and forced him to his knees, he smashed his forehead into his face and pushed him into Damon "You're too slow."

Damon and Caulfield stood up, their healed faces were covered in blood, they looked furious. "Oh yeah, he's tough." Caulfield said, "Skip the fight, kill the girl!"

"Fun is fun and done is done!" Damon said as the two of them charged in, their goal the human standing behind Edward, Riley followed and Victoria took the opportunity to move as well. Edward hooked his arm around Damon's leg and tripped him in midair, he smashed Riley into the snow and moved to block Victoria, he couldn't stop Caulfield who was less than a pace from taking Bella's life when the sudden blurred movement passed between them, Caulfield's headless body hit the snow, blood spurting from his neck, Leah was standing there just past Edward holding Caulfield's head in one of her giant clawed hands, the expression on the severed head was of great surprise, she snapped her fist closed and crushed his skull. Victoria stopped short, confusion, rage, and disbelief at war on her face.

"Took your time." Edward said, snorting a spat of blood out of his nose.

"You were handling it. Deal with Victoria, I'll take these two." Leah said.

Damon stood up and shook his head, clearing it. Riley stood up, his fear great. "The fuck is that?" Damon asked, gawping at Leah.

"Human." Leah said, and she charged Damon, tackling him to the ground, Riley ran to help him while Victoria turned to run, she had taken twenty steps when the faggot spoke again.

"Don't be a dummy!" Edward called.

Victoria stopped and turned to face Edward "You know where that leads Victoria, you know what's that way. The Imperium and your death. You can't do this again, no more armies, no more cronies, no more newborns. You want your revenge right? You want to get payback for James. You want Bella's blood, you want mine too. The part of you screaming run is for once in your life being drowned out by the part of you screaming fuck it." Edward said, blood dripping from a cut over his eye. "And the part of you screaming fuck it just won't shut up."

Victoria looked longingly at Bella, then she looked at Damon who was currently being savaged by Leah, Riley laying in the snow, his face a mess of rips and tears, she stripped off her jacket and pulled her hair into a ponytail "I'm going to kill you, and then I'm going to torture and eat fatass over there."

Edward flicked blood out of his eye with his thumb "Ask James why that plan didn't work for him when you see him in hell." he shifted his body to the left and lifted his right arm to waist level.

Victoria's fury was a blanket, that buzzing fury that kept no thoughts, and there was another thing, a thing he'd only seen a time or two before. The blood Victoria had consumed pulsed rapidly through her body, her veins alight with it, the bright red lines standing out on her pale skin.

"Bella, run." Edward said. "Just run."

"No! If you're here, and Leah's here, I'm here!" Bella said.

Edward nodded and Victoria charged, Edward threw a jab at her and her ability pinged and she dodged, he threw three more and each time her ability pinged; she dodged them smoothly, and struck out almost quicker than Edward could see and blasted him in the face twice, he stumbled backward and caught his feet then moved in again tossing out quick jabs and he couldn't hit her. She was pressing her ability to the max, drawing out all of it's possibilities, in addition she was burning up all of the human blood she had consumed in exchange for the utmost potential her vampiric strength offered.

Edward threw a knee and Victoria blocked it with both arms and pushed him back, she leapt on top of Edward and jammed her finger into his eye, popping it like a grape, Edward grunted and grabbed Victoria's wrist, he twisted his hand skinning her wrist to the bone. He punched Victoria low in the belly, smashing her guts and pushing her off. Victoria flew backward, landed on both feet and moved in again as Edward was standing, he tossed out a punch and Victoria moved like a snake, her head sliding out of the way of the punch and she struck out, tearing flesh from his arm. Edward smashed his forehead into Victoria's nose, it burst like a water main and she stepped back, Edward moved in and Victoria threw her head in his direction, spattering blood into his remaining eye. Edward struck out blindly and Victoria pushed him out of the way and charged past, her intent was simple, Edward leapt blindly and grabbed her ankle, he pulled her away from Bella and spun, he released her and slammed her into the rocky face of an adjourning cliff. Victoria cracked the stone and leapt back to her feet, she moved in and Edward threw a knee, Victoria slapped it down and punched, Edward caught it with his shoulder the force cracking the bone, he slipped it off and threw an overhand right that smashed into Victoria's face, blowing her hair back. Victoria stumbled and Edward grabbed the front of her shirt and lifted her, he brought her down intent on breaking her in half over his knee and her ability pinged and she slithered out of his grip and his knee met air as Victoria scrambled around to his back and drove her fist through it, her hand came through his stomach and Edward screamed and locked his hands around her blood smeared wrist, he turned his back to the cliff face and leapt, smashing Victoria into it. She screamed and tried to yank her arm out, Edward hung on as tightly as he could and smashed Victoria into the wall once, twice, three times. The force spattering the cliff and the surrounding snow with blood, Edward's stomach was agony, his back was agony, everything hurt. But he slammed Victoria into the wall again, he moved to the side still holding Victoria's arm and it tore through him, he screamed again and twisted, jumping at the same time and slamming his knee into her face, smashing her head into the rock. He extended his fangs, leaned into her, stabbed them deep into the flesh of her throat and tore her head off.

He stumbled backward and fell on his side, spitting out the blood in his mouth, his lungs heaving uselessly. He looked around, Leah was covered in Damon and Riley's blood. Her white tank top soaked through, splashes and smears on her legs, her shorts bloodied. She was breathing hard, the hot blood smoking on her skin.

Bella ran to Edward and pulled him close "Christ! Jesus Christ! Edward!"

Edward groaned in pain and rolled over onto his back, his head on Bella's knees, printing her jeans and hood and hands with blood. "Please tell me they're dead Leah."

Leah walked over and knelt down, "Nice fighting, for a bloodsucker."

Edward laughed weakly "Thanks for the assist Baloo."

Leah smirked and helped Edward to his feet, he stumbled shakily and Bella put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry I'm getting blood on you." Edward said.

Bella shook her head, " No apologies."

The three of them looked at Victoria, the blood pulsing slowly out of her. Edward took his arm from around Bella's shoulders, and clutching his side he walked to Victoria's body. He flicked open his zippo and set fire to her corpse, she went up quickly.

"I thought you guys dusted when you died." Leah said.

"Not the ones that do what she did, in that state the body has to be burned." Edward said.

Bella walked over to him and supported him again, "Is everyone ok?"

Edward nodded "Jasper and Kate got it the worst. Broken arm for Jasper, torn off hand for Kate, Jacob is temporarily missing an eye, everyone else just an assortment of wounds."

"Come on." Leah said. "And never tell anyone I did this."

Leah shifted into bear form. Get on.

Bella climbed onto her vast back and Leah ran through the forest. She stopped just outside of the clearing, Bella dismounted and Leah shifted back. "Thank you Leah." Bella said.

"Don't mention it, ever." Leah said.

Bella laughed, "I meant saving my life. Helping save Edward's life."

"My dad would never forgive me if I let Charlie's daughter die, he'd come back from the dead for the express purpose of kicking my ass." Leah said.

They walked into the clearing, only the vampires remained, surrounded by piles of ash. Jasper was leaning against Rosalie's back, the two of them supporting each other. Alice was sitting near Emmett, the four Denali's were grouped together, Carlisle was standing with Esme, next to them were two newborns. One was a small brown haired girl, her tartan skirt ragged, the long sleeved brown thermal she was wearing was torn, her boots were dirty. There was a splash of blood on her face. The boy sitting next to her was tall and fit, wearing a long sleeved t-shirt and cargo shorts, his clothes were as ragged as the girl, his Vans were falling to pieces. His hair was thick, blonde and waved.

Jasper saw Leah and waved to her, she waved back and ran back into the brush. "Should I go with her?" Bella asked.

Edward shook his head "The governor is coming, she has to meet you."

"Shit." Bella said, following Edward toward the family.

Edward stopped by Carlisle "What's this?"

Carlisle looked at the two newborns sitting there and then back at Edward "They surrendered, neither of them were interested in fighting. The boy claims that they were only here because they had nowhere else to go, and the girl supports his claim. He says it is because he was the only person in their group who wasn't cruel to her, so she refused to leave him alone. Edward, could you…"

"Already have, it's not a lie." Edward walked over to the boy. "Frederick, have you killed anyone?"

Frederick looked at Edward, regarding him blandly "No, I don't kill people."

Edward scanned him, he was telling the truth. He turned to Brielle "And you? Have you killed anyone."

Brielle shook her head no, and Edward scanned. She had been too afraid to hunt, the only food she had eaten had been the few blood bags Frederick had stolen from a hospital. "Bree don't talk to nobody but me, I don't know why she don't talk but she don't." Frederick said.

"How did you come to be apart of Victoria's coven Frederick?" Carlisle asked.

"Guy I knew named Caulfield, he used to run dope with my older brother. Some bad shit went down with a snitch and my brother ended up owing Caulfield 50 grand. I don't know how Caulfield ended up a vampire, but he did. Came calling, killed my brother, changed me. Brought me to Victoria. But I ain't want to fight, I don't even know y'all, and I got no interest in killing nobody. Ain't have no where else to go though, no family, no friends I can go to. If y'all want to kill me like you did the rest go ahead, but don't kill Bree, she ain't did nothing." Frederick said.

"Caulfield's dead. Victoria and Riley and Damon are dead as well." Edward said, still kneeling.

Frederick was still regarding him blandly, his blazing golden eyes flickered briefly. "Good. Guy was an asshole."

"They're the only ones that surrendered?" Edward asked.

"Yes, the rest were too intent. I do not know what Victoria told them." Carlisle said.

"She said take you guys out and this town is ours," Frederick said "She said Pete Wentz over there was in charge of this area, said we could eat and eat and never have to stop. Just a bunch of humans, rest of em' went for that line of bullshit, this vampire shit crazy man. Made em' forget they were human."

"And you Frederick, have you not forgotten?" Carlisle asked.

"I got 19 years of memories as a human, not too many of em' good, but enough are that I aint gonna start treating humans like quarter pounders from Mcdonalds." Frederick said. "Shits hard, had to steal blood from a few hospitals here and there, but I ain't gonna kill nobody to eat."

"That's good Frederick, I am impressed and applaud your morality and restraint." Carlisle said.

"Hey thanks man, ain't nobody other than my brother ever gave me props for nothing." Frederick said, his bland expression replaced with a small smile.

"We'll try our best to keep you alive, unfortunately the final decision does not lay with us." Carlisle said.

"Vampires got feds too?" Frederick asked.

"I would not call them "feds" Frederick, but yes we have a government we answer to." Carlisle said.

"Fuckin' figures, can't escape the law in no life." Frederick said.

Brielle was staring at Bella, her expression confused, she leaned over to Frederick and whispered something into his ear. "Bree wants to know why you got that human here." Frederick asked, "She in your coven or something?"

Carlisle and Edward looked over toward Bella, she was sitting on the ground next to Alice and Emmett. "She's my girlfriend." Edward said.

"I had one of them when I was human, hope yours don't come with a smack habit." Frederick said.

"No, no heroin addiction with mine. Thank you Frederick." Edward said, walking over to Jasper and Rosalie.

"You know what sucks about this old timer?" Frederick asked Carlisle.

"No, what "sucks" about this Frederick." Carlisle said.

"Victoria fed us this whole plate of bullshit about how we supposed to live now, slinkin' around in the dark, killing people and shit. And then I see y'all and you got a human here at ease with people like us, and it's like damn, whole nother way to live that me and Bree ain't know nothing about." Frederick said.

"There's always a choice Frederick, you made the right one, and we will try our best to see to it that you make it to another day. Wait there, our governor will be here shortly." Carlisle said.

Jane arrived forty-five minutes after Carlisle had last spoken to Frederick, Edward had never seen her arrive with Renata, and it was interesting to watch her and the small girl with the scarred throat, a small arabic person of indeterminate gender, a tall black man, a tall white man, and a korean man suddenly pop into existence in the middle of the clearing.

The korean man was looking around, "Nicely done." he said.

Jane took Renata's hand in her right, and Selim's hand in her left and walked forward, Prin and Alec shadowing them, the korean man in the back, carefully keeping his shadow in front of him.

"Well, color me impressed. You all managed to survive." Jane said to Carlisle.

"They were unskilled and underprepared, some were frenzied." Carlisle said.

"And these two?" Jane said, nodding toward Frederick and Brielle, who were huddled together, sitting silently and motionlessly.

"They surrendered, they neither wished to fight, nor have they been responsible for any of the chaos the other members of the coven wrought. They are innocent on all counts." Carlisle said.

"You big old softy you." Jane said, chuckling. "I suppose I'd be one cold blooded bitch if I were to just kill them. Han, shadowstitch em."

Han nodded his head and Brielle and Frederick were immediately stuck to the ground, they didn't seem capable of movement even if they wanted to. "Prin, lemme get a memory." Jane said.

Prin stepped over to Frederick, he placed his index fingertip on his forehead. "Pocket: Initiate Memory Recall. Timeframe: 7 months." Prin said.

Frederick's face went blank and above his head several small glowing cubes appeared. Prin tapped one and said "Pocket: Initiate Memory View."

The other cubes disappeared and the cube Prin had tapped expanded until it was a full and complete representation of the scene, it showed a memory of Caulfield dragging Frederick in the throes of his transformation to Victoria. Prin tapped the cube again and it disappeared, the other cubes reappeared and Prin tapped another, this cube expanded and showed Frederick breaking into a hospital to steal blood for himself and Brielle. Prin closed the cube and tapped another, it showed Frederick and Brielle voluntarily surrendering. "Pocket: Close Memory Recall."

The cubes disappeared and Frederick shook his head, attempting to clear it. His confusion evident. "Isn't that something." Jane said.

Jasper stood up, "What's something is why you ain't did nothing about Victoria before she built this little force of hers. They weren't all like these two, you plotting something Jane?"

Jane smiled at him, she shuddered infinitesimally at his speaking to her "I'd never plot big brother, why risk your life?" Alice clinched her fist at Jane calling him brother.

"Jasper, Jane did everything she was allowed to do. The Imperium is as restricted in its actions as we are. The information Jane provided us was both useful and accurate, isn't that right Jane?" Carlisle said.

"That's right, I'd never think to mislead you all." Jane said. "Come over here Bella."

Bella stood up, she dusted her butt off and walked over to Jane, she stood in front of her. "So you're the human that's fallen for a vampire, the reason Victoria met her end today. That's a lot of hassle for a tiny little thing like you." Jane said, her eyes roving Bella's body.

Bella blushed and Alec laughed "Careful making that blood flow girl." he said.

"Be careful yourself Alec." Edward said.

Alec laughed and winked at Edward "You know I don't want to fight you Eddie, even banged up like you are I could live without that fight."

Carlisle was looking at Selim, and then he looked at Han, Renata, Prin and Alec "How did you come across them Jane?"

"Now why would I tell you that Lord Carlisle?" Jane nodded her head in Kate's direction "It's nice to see you again Kate, Lord Gilles still talks real nice about you." Jane said.

Kate stood and bowed "Mistress Jane, I still think fondly of Lord Gilles."

Tanya, Irina and Carmen bowed as well. "Victoria caused a bit of a ruckus, drew a smallish amount of attention, and was undoubtedly dangerous. Crimes of this nature warrant a pretty good bounty. 20 million, the same as you received for James. But it's very fascinatin' she put in so much effort just to kill her." Jane said.

"Maybe there is more to her than meets the eye mistress." Prin said.

"No, no Victoria was just crazy. I'm not important." Bella said. "She was…"

"Mad about Eddie killin' James, I know." Jane said, kneeling down in front of Frederick. "Fred, do you have anywhere to go?"

"Nah, I ain't got anywhere to go." Frederick said.

Jane looked at Brielle "And you?"

Brielle shook her head, and spoke out loud for the first time. Her voice a whisper, "No ma'am"

"You two can come on with me, I'll find some use out of you. Do either of you have an ability?" Jane asked.

"Me and Bree both, only ones in the group that did." Frederick said.

"Prin." Jane said.

Prin walked over, he stood tall over the still sitting Fred and taller still over the tiny Brielle. "Pocket: Initiate Storage. Security Level: Maximum."

A series of lines appeared around Brielle and Frederick, the lines solidified and shrunk until there was only a tiny cube, not much bigger than a Rubik's. Prin picked it up off of the ground and stored it in his pocket.

"Well, if that's all then I'm going to get going. Got two decent enough prizes out of it." Jane said. "You all take care, keep looking after that little pet of yours."

"She is not a pet Jane." Carlisle said.

Jane chuckled "Keep looking after that little human then." and she and her group disappeared.

"Ok, that was freaky deaky. Did you see that one dudes ability? Did you see that little girl? Did you see homeboy turn Fred's head into a damned HUD?! How do you do shit like that?" Emmett asked. "Carlisle, who the hell were they?"

"Prin, Han and Alec are three offensive weapons the Imperium were very interested in collecting at one point." Carlisle answered. "Selim is an anomaly and young Renata is gifted with an extraordinary ability."

"How did she acquire them Lord Carlisle? Eleazar discovered Han in 1716, and we were out of the Imperium when he sensed the vast potential of Alec, Prin and Renata." Carmen asked. "No one in this world can detect abilities like Eleazar, even amongst sensor types he is undoubtedly the best, how would Jane even begin to know where to look?"

"I cannot answer, I do not know how she has secured their loyalty, quite honestly I do not even know what ability Jane herself possess." Carlisle said.

"She can use several abilities at once, she takes them and stores them." Edward said. "Whitlocks you know?" and Jasper punched him in the shoulder.

"And the others?" Esme asked.

"With a simple command Prin is capable of creating pocket dimensions, storing and showing memories, and several other things. Alec can control and steal light. Han is Alec's opposite, he can control darkness, shadows. And Renata has control over space both physical and metaphysical, her ability is so extraordinary she has for all intents and purposes been lobotomized, she would be far too uncontrollable, wild and dangerous if she were anything other than what she is." Carlisle said.

"And the other little girl? The one in the white dress?" Tanya asked.

"Boy. He's a boy Tanya." Carlisle answered.

"He is?!" Emmett said.

"That is what we assume Emmett. There is currently no proven knowledge regarding Selim." Carlisle said. "The current working theory is that Selim is a djinn."

"Like in that movie with Conrad Veidt?" Esme said.

"Not quite like that, there is no evidence of the boy granting wishes. It is honestly not even known if that is how he truly looks, but Selim is as extraordinarily dangerous as the others. I did not know he was in league with Jane." Carlisle said.

"Hell of a coven she's got there." Jasper said.

"Yes, quite the coven." Carlisle said, his hand in his chin.

"Are these more enemies?" Bella asked.

"Not your enemy, and currently not ours we hope. Though her obsession with Jasper is troubling, as is her habit of spontaneously menacing Edward. In addition to this I believe she allowed the Victoria problem to grow." Carlisle said.

"How you figure that Carlisle?" Jasper asked.

"Jane is… she is far too capable and intelligent for Victoria to elude. She could have neutralized her at any time, I am officially operating under the belief that she was hoping some of us would be killed in this battle, and if not for the aid of the shifters there is no real way we could have foreseen how it would turn out." Carlisle said.

"Call up the big bosses?" Jasper asked.

"No, we have no evidence of her involvement… unless?" Carlisle said, shooting a glance at Edward.

"Nothing, Jane completely blocks my telepathy somehow. And the rest were unaware or just not thinking about it, Alec claims he can't block me and he was thinking about something unrelated, Renata barely has a mind, Han and Prin were thinking only of doing her bidding, and Selim was smoke and mirrors. So if Jane is or was planning something it's not for us to know." Edward said.

Carlisle was still thinking, his hand still on his chin, his face still pensive "What is the plan Lord Carlisle? We will gladly render aid in any and all conflicts that involve our extended family." Kate said.

"Hopefully your aid will not be required, though we are grateful for your help against Victoria." Carlisle said.

"We would never allow harm to befall you or humans, not harm we can prevent at any rate." Tanya said. "But if nothing else is needed currently we must return home."

"You guys are leaving?" Bella said.

Kate laughed "We are employees of the Imperium, and as such our permanent location is and will always be Alaska, until our aid is needed by you or them. We cannot stay, though we would dearly like to."

"Stay and rest for the day then. Leave in the morning. It is a long journey, even for you." Carlisle said.

Kate looked at her slowly reforming hand "Yes, I think that would be a fine idea."

Edward shook his head "It would be nice if we had someone who could see the future."

Alice punched him in his still healing side and Edward grimaced and laughed "Shut it." she said, grinning.

"I can't believe you would treat a man who was impaled like this." Edward said.

"Believe it." Alice said.

"Edward, if you would be so kind as to take Bella home. I believe she has had enough excitement to last a lifetime." Carlisle said.

Edward nodded and took Bella's hand, she squeezed his hand in return. "Thank you guys, thank you all so much." Bella said.

"Human's have enough enemies Bella Swan, it is our pleasure to be counted amongst their allies." Tanya said. "Think nothing of it."

Bella shook her head "I'd be one ungrateful asshole if I didn't thank the people who saved my life, who saved my town. You guys all technically count as heros right now."

"Heros huh?" Jasper said. "Don't think I've ever had that title attached to me before."

Emmett bumped him with his shoulder "It's cause we ain't."

Rosalie laughed "Just people doing what's right is what I think we're called."

"Doing what's right… yeah, I think that's what we been doing." Jasper said.

Before they left the clearing Carlisle knelt down and prayed that the defeated find peace in the hereafter. He prayed that god forgive both the winners and the fallen.

When Edward finally got Bella home they sat in the car briefly, Bella staring at the wound on her right hand. "I was useless."

Edward turned his head to her "You weren't useless."

Bella laughed "Don't sugarcoat, I was useless. I had to stand there like a lump while I prayed that you beat 4 people. I couldn't help at all, I could barely even see what you were doing."

"I wasn't going to lose, I couldn't lose." Edward said.

"But if Leah hadn't been there, if you had to protect me without help you might have. If it weren't for me, standing there like a damn slug, you would've been able to fight without distraction. Look what she did to your stupid v-neck." Bella said.

"I have a million t-shirts like this, it's fine if one gets ripped." Edward said.

Bella was still staring at her hand "Teach me how to use my ability."

"I don't think I can do that." Edward said "I've never had to before."

"You said you could use yours before you were changed." Bella said.

"I couldn't use it, it was just there, I just picked up thoughts without wanting to. I couldn't shrink or grow it like I can now, I couldn't scan, or any of the other tricks I use with it." Edward said.

"You didn't have a reason to learn, I do." Bella said.

"Bella, this… this was a one off thing. We're not going to make a habit of involving you in any conflicts we have. You don't need to learn to fight vampires." Edward said.

"I'm in this world now, I'm right in the middle of it. I want to fight, if I'm going to be human I want to be able to stand beside my vampire boyfriend instead of hiding behind his back with my fingers in my mouth." Bella opened the car door "Teach me."

"I can try, I'm not really the teacher in the family. Carlisle or Jasper would be better at that than me." Edward said.

"It will be a learning experience for us both then, you'll learn how to teach, and I'll learn how to shield." Bella said.

"Once it's on, once it's on and you're aware of it you become a beacon. Vampires will know, and you'll be more than dinner. They'll be drawn to you, like a moth to flame. Eleazar, Carmen's husband, he sees them. The ones who can use their abilities before their change look like pillars of light he says, those of us that can't see that light are drawn to it regardless. If you take this step Bella, if you use it, actively, you'll be where we are. You'll be with us in full, and not just watching." Edward said. "Are you ready for that?"

"Three of my best friends haven't even graduated from high school yet, they're not even close to graduating. But they fight, they didn't have a choice. I have a choice, and I'm choosing to fight, I'm not going to hide. I'm not going to be a spectator." Bella said. "Teach me."

"We'll start tomorrow, I'll help you the best I can." Edward said, he stepped out of the car and walked around to Bella's side, he knelt down between her knees. "I hope you understand what you're asking for."

Bella put her hand on Edward's chin, cold from the wind, his eyes glowing dully, his messy hair, his pale skin. "I know what I'm asking for."

"You humans… are truly the best of all of the things on this Earth." Edward said, reaching up and putting his cold hand on Bella's warm cheek, he could feel the blood flowing just beneath her skin. "Your bravery knows no bounds."

"Bravery, or stupidity?" Bella said, and she smiled.

"A little of both I think." Edward said, and he kissed Bella as the snow fell.

Bella pulled away, her lips warm, he made her run so hot and cold. He shouldn't be real, he shouldn't be hers, her life shouldn't be what it is. "For my dad, and for your family, and for my shifter friends, and for my mother I have to be able to do this. And for you Edward, I have to be able to fight with you. I have to stand by your side and not behind your back because I love you." she kissed him again, briefly. "I will never hide behind your back while you struggle for me again."

Edward walked with Bella up the stairs, she unlocked the door and turned to him "Coming inside?" she asked.

Edward shook his head "I need to change clothes and eat."

"Come over later then, you don't sleep." Bella said.

"I'll come over later, enjoy the house while your father is in Colorado." Edward said.

Bella laughed and kissed him "You're so sweet." she whispered into his mouth.

"So are you, I'll be back." Edward said.

Bella closed the door and Edward went back to his car, he got in and closed the door. He leaned back in his seat and opened the glove compartment, inside was a pack of Alice's cigarettes, he shook out two. He passed one to Jane who was sitting in the backseat, he lit his cigarette, and then lit hers.

"She's pretty cute, smells tasty too. At least if you like white bread. I'm surprised you haven't eaten her yet." Jane said, taking a drag off the Camel and blowing the smoke out in a ring. "I love these things."

"Watch it Jane." Edward said.

"I'm watching her. I already had my interest in the vampire that would fight for a human, and now I got interest in a human with potential like hers. She made Selim's ears perk up, lord knows it takes something special for that little fella to get excited, seeing her after seeing my glorious brother was almost too much for his little body to take." Jane said, leaning into the front seat "Take her, make her like us." Jane whispered into his ear, her breath was ice cold and like her scent was spearmint, her breath was wintergreen.

"I have no plans on that Jane." Edward said through gritted teeth, the cigarette burning slowly between his fingers.

"She'll die one day, she's human. Anything could take her life, anything could stop that pony engine heart of hers from beating. You want to lose that? Do you want that grief?" Jane whispered, she reached into Edward's shirt, her sharp fingernails gripping his chest.

"Death is as natural as life, life has value because it ends. We mimic life, she lives it, her and all humans. They embody what it means to be alive." Edward said.

"Is this some of Lord Carlisle's proselytizing? I've only ever had one god, and he told me a long time ago that life don't matter. And over these years I've realized he was right, life don't matter, so whether we pretending or not don't mean a thing." Jane whispered "But do you want to keep pretending alone? She's what? 17? She's got 70 more years, maybe, and then you'll be alone again. Just you and your "family" pretending at life." Jane whispered again, her tongue drifting slowly along Edward's neck. "I envy Lord Carlisle, I would've loved to have been the one to change skinny little Edward Anthony Mason as he lay there dying of spanish flu."

"How do you?" Edward started

"Oh I know a lot about you Edward Anthony… I know so much about you. About all of you. Little Mrs. Rosalie Hale of Kemmerer, Wyoming. Raped and murdered by a lunatic, but she took care of Royce King didn't she? Emmett McCarty, torn to pieces by a bear. He's still got some living relatives you know? A few great-great nephew's and nieces, the name is gone but blood flows strong. Mary Alice Brandon, little ALICE and her pretty pretty pictures. The Lord's think she's dead, Laurent thinks she's dead, I've seen the tombstone. But I know who that little bitch in there is. Esme Evanson, I wondered why anyone would take out Daisy, crazy Daisy. The vampire terrorist, blowing things up all over. Is it irony that she was Irish? Is it any surprise that she'd be in Ireland in the 70's? The Troubles, Na Trioblóidí. But good ole Nurse Evanson took nearly dying real personal. Crazy Daisy killed how many people with that train bomb? 179? 47 severely injured? And two survivors without a mark on them, disappearing into parts unknown with a soon to be changed human. And finally Jasper Whitlock, Balor, The Great Demon King. Hyakkimaru and Kenzo claim he's more yokai than vampire, he makes the Lord's sick but the brothers whisper amongst themselves that he's a Daeva, Nikolai the great beast calls my brother Chernobog, The Dark One. I've met some of the men he served with in the big war, they were terrified of him. They'd never seen a man do the things he did to other men. He's one of the most hated vampires in the world, the Dog Of Maria, the Dog of the Imperium. Balor. I know so much about you all, I know everything." Jane whispered, and she licked Edward's neck again.

"You're insane Jane, but you know that don't you?" Edward said, his fists clenched tightly.

"I'm crazy as a loon, I'm a nutcase baby, I'm a maniac and a madwoman. But I know your family, I know them so well, and I want to know more. I want more, I want everything I can have. Such an unusually powerful coven, so many strong members. A regular coven couldn't have done the things your "family" has done, couldn't have beaten the vampires you've beaten. I mean my boys could, but we're unique." Jane pulled Edward's head back, she bit his earlobe drawing blood "I love this smell, other vampires find it disgusting, but I love it, I love the frail smell you put off. You smell weak, diminished, and then you turn around and do something impressive like killing Echinacea. What was her ability again?"

"Gravity control." Edward said, pressing himself against the door as Jane's hands traveled across his chest.

"Yeah, that was it, I wanted to steal that from her. Imagine my surprise when it turned out that you all had killed her first. I was mighty impressed." Jane said, "We'll talk later, but I just wanted to see you again hero. The world has some big things coming. There are some things on the horizon that need a powerful coven like yours to stand against them, and I know you'll do it, because you people can't help but play hero." Jane bit Edward's neck, her fangs breaking the skin, she suckled the blood at the wound gently. "You taste so good, makes me want to eat you up."

"Careful, you might make yourself sick." Edward said.

Jane laughed, a sound not unlike a choir of seraphs singing in unison "Renata." she said and the little girl was there, sitting in the passenger seat. Her dull eyes staring straight ahead, a little slip of dress covering her body. Jane put her hand on her shoulder. "We'll talk, you owe me." Jane said, and she and Renata disappeared.

Edward took a drag off the cigarette, discovered that it was no longer lit, flicked the ashes out of the window; relit the cigarette and took a successful drag off of it. He was frightened at Jane's deep knowledge of his family, infuriated at her implication that the bond they shared was merely artifice, and worried about Bella's future. More conflict, more enemies. It was as if some great wheel was spinning, as if Alice and Jasper arriving in the fifties was a catalyst that launched them into a series of trials and battles then, and Bella's arrival now launching them into something else.

Edward scanned, Bella was sitting on the couch eating a plate of strawberries and bananas that she would occasionally dip into a bowl of melted chocolate. He watched her through the eye of her cellphone camera. Interfacing with machines was difficult, dangerous and unpleasant, but computers and electronics had their own minds did they not? He smiled at her laughter at some dumb joke on the television then pulled his mind out of the phone. He put his cigarette out, lit another and made his way home.

\- loose ends, the boys and jane -

Han Yi Gojong sat in the driver's seat of his Boss 429 Mustang, he drummed his fingers restlessly against the steering wheel. His thick black hair fell over his shoulders, his yellow eyes glowed in the light of the radio that was currently pouring out music from the Massive Attack CD Mezzanine. His best friend Prin Gizenga sat in the passenger seat, a Nintendo DS between his dark hands. In a tinkle that was nearly drowned out by the music the sound effects of the game Golden Sun could be heard coming from it.

In the back seat Alec Hargrave was leaning back, noise canceling headphones on his head, scrolling through music on his Ipod. His taste was radically different from Prin and Han who both favored techno, triphop, electronica, and experimental rap. Alec liked classical music, he hated most modern music, he didn't understand what the two of them got out of what sounded like nothing but electronic squealing to him. Sitting next to Alec was another man, he was tall, his skin the color of cinnamon, his chin and cheeks dusted with stubble. His long black hair gathered up underneath a turban, an open leather bound book across his knees.

The car was parked up the road from a large and derelict mansion in Portland, sitting there with the headlights off. The sun setting slowly behind them, the cold wind blowing around them, flecking snow against the windows. Han leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. He heard the whisper of cloth touching the hood and opened his eyes again, Renata was sitting on the hood, Han smiled at her and opened his door. Prin did the same, the four of them got out of the car and stood by the hood.

"She's coming then?" The man wearing the turban asked, his british accent formal and upper crust.

"Doll eyes wouldn't be here if she wasn't, would ya doll eyes?" Alec said, leaning his elbow on Renata's head.

Prin laughed and Han shook his head "Get your elbow offa that, would you do that at your mother's house?" Jane said, walking toward them, there was a splash of blood smeared across her mouth.

"Stopped to get something to eat mistress?" The man wearing the turban asked.

"I sure did Richie. How long have you fellas been waiting for me?" Jane asked, walking to the front of the vehicle to lean against the hood.

The others gathered around her before Han said "Around 2 hours, we had to wait for them to gather."

"This is all that's left of them, there are 12. Mostly older men." Alec said.

"12 huh? Any of em' worth a shit? Like Freddy?" Jane asked, gazing at the house.

Richie shook his head "Not from what we could see. Just wild and reckless and stupid, I don't even think they were in league with Victoria. Indeed they seemed more concerned with the location of the one named Caulfield."

"Huh, well that's interesting ain't it? Go ahead and clean up, get some exercise." Jane said.

"Are you coming?" Alec asked.

Jane shook her head "Nah."

"You should, it's been awhile since you've had any fun. Worrying us a bit." Alec said.

Jane laughed and flapped her hand at Alec "Awww, you do care."

Alec smirked and ran a hand through his hair "I do, we all do. You should come with, work off some of that frustration."

"I masturbate when I'm frustrated." Jane said.

"Victory is better than sex mistress." Han said, before he covered himself in shadow and sunk into the ground.

Prin reached out and opened what appeared to be thin air, it showed one of the bathrooms on the second floor of the mansion. "There is nothing quite so fulfilling as destruction." he said before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.

Richie laughed and kissed Jane's hand "You really should join us mistress." he said before he began walking toward the mansion.

Alec moved closer to Jane and she leaned her head on his shoulder "You never fight with us anymore, you're our boss, we serve you gladly, but all of us miss the days when you fought with us." Alec said.

Jane looked at the mansion, as a large black spike suddenly burst through the roof "I'm not much of a backseat general, I got to admit I miss riding shotgun."

Alec stuck his hand out, palm open. The street lights dimmed and then blacked out, a ball of light appeared in front of Alec's hand. It grew rapidly, he turned and fired it. It disappeared and reappeared inside of the mansion, incinerating two of the newborns. "Come with Mistress, have fun." he said.

Jane smiled, a soft pleasant smile "Sure, it has been a while."

Jane took Alec's hand and they walked to the mansion. Alec opened the door for Jane and she stepped into the vast living room. Around here there was a scene of controlled chaos, her boys were having a good time. Han darted around the room, firing arrows made of shadow, pinning newborns. Prin threw cubes, when they hit the ground some released explosions of light, others released explosions of darkness, some released what appeared to be infinite amounts of the small silver daggers. Alongside them a gigantic lycanthrope, his fur bristling, foam lining his mouth, tearing newborns to shreds. Jane stood there, smiling. "Love what you do or why even bother doing it."

Alec looked at her and smiled "Truer words mistress."

In no time at all the newborns were dead to a man, the last remaining was terrified, pinned to the ground by ropes made of shadow. Alec stood over him, he was pointing his index finger at the center of the newborn's forehead, a small ball of light glowing at the tip. "Well, it's always a blast to meet the next level on the food chain ain't it kiddo."

Richie was eating, eating, eating. The meat would have to be consumed fresh, before it dried and dusted and lost its flavor. Jane walked to him and patted his shoulder "You eat like a pig." she said.

Richie growled low in his throat, he turned to Jane and said in a deep, struggling, gargling voice said "Mistress, you know I hate eating in front of you, but I cannot turn down a good meal."

Jane laughed "A good meal, yes." Jane turned and walked to the newborn, she knelt down "Who made you?"

The newborn swallowed "Caulfield man, he came and said we could run shit. Be the next big group, take out the west coast syndicate, bring in profit."

Janes tsked "Dealing in dope and guns even after getting turned, talk about dedication. Where's the shit. Me and my boys could go for turning over a little bit of profit."

"If I tell you you gonna let me out of here?" The newborn asked, hopeful defiance in his voice.

"If you tell me I'll let him kill you - Jane pointed her thumb at Alec - instead of him." And she pointed again at Richie.

"Aw come on lady, I tell you what I know and you ice me anyway? That ain't even fucking fair." the newborn cried.

"Well." Jane said, and she turned on Edward's telepathy. It was interesting to experience seeing as Jane had little control over the ability. And the sudden flood of thoughts and feelings made her feel something like nausea, it was dizzying but at the same time it was wonderful. She scanned the newborn. "You fellas have been awful naughty haven't you? That's a mighty big shipment you have sitting on my docks."

"How much mistress?" Alec asked.

"Half a million in dope and enough guns to field a small army." Jane said, scanning.

The newborn's face was shocked, stunned. They couldn't know, how could they know. And the realization he had nothing left to bargain, nothing left to offer, filled him with terrible fear. It had been 7 months since the last time he pissed, and 34 years since the last time he had pissed himself, but right now he felt like that was what he was going to do.

"Come on Harvey, tell me you're surprised." Jane said, the overload of thoughts and feelings and emotions causing her nose to bleed. "Show me some terror."

"Mistress, whatever ability you're using turn it off." Han said.

Jane clicked off the telepathy, the ability was dangerous without practice, and she hadn't fulfilled all of the qualifiers to use the ability to begin with. She wiped her bleeding nose and stood up, "Prin, Alec, Han let's go. Richie, feel free to eat." Jane said.

The newborn, Harvey Davis started to scream. He couldn't help himself, the others were leaving. Leaving him with the gigantic black creature covered in shaggy black fur, razor sharp teeth jammed into its gums, gigantic clawed fingers curling and uncurling. It howled and the noise was nightmarish, and then it was on him. Tearing and ripping and eating.

Jane stood on the front porch, her hands in the pockets of her dress. The others stood close.

"What's next mistress?" Prin said.

"Ain't it obvious? We're going down to the wharf, five hundred grand in dope and a couple million in weaponry? Why miss out on that, you know money makes the world go round. Kill a few peckerwoods, a spic or two. Besides unauthorized dealing ain't allowed, you know how the big boys are. They don't like competition." Jane said.

"Are their buyers human?" Alec asked.

Jane nodded "They were plannin' on killing them and just taking everything. Then repeating that shit over and over again. Good idea, you'd have thought Caulfield would have the sense to make like a weasel after red detailed her little plan, but maybe a little nowhere town would've been a good place to move shit out of. Or maybe he fell in love with the bitch, ain't no telling."

Richie stepped outside, he had turned back into his human form, there was a crackle of electricity burring over his skin. His hair free from it's turban and standing up, his clothes gone. He was covered from head to toe in blood.

"Lycanthropes, can't y'all do anything neat?" Jane asked.

Richie shook his head "I'm afraid not mistress."

Jane laughed her angels laugh "Renata."

Renata appeared in front of them "Take me to the wharf, the rest of you meet me there. Get Richie cleaned and dressed, nothin' too posh Rich." Jane said, grabbing Renata's hand and disappearing.

"There goes that Oxford education down the drain again huh Richie?" Alec said, his smile mocking.

Richie growled low in his throat, the electricity crackled over his skin, black hair began to grow from his arms and legs "My stomach isn't full yet Alec, I could always have white trash for dessert." Richie said, his voice already taking the downpitched, growling quality.

"I can't stand the smell of burning hair, but I'll make an exception for you mutt." Alec said, snatching the light from a streetlamp, the glowing orb circled him slowly.

"Enough dick measuring you dumb pricks, let's go." Prin said, walking down the stairs with Han.

Alec and Richie glared at each other for a moment longer, and then followed.

\- For whom do you struggle -

The following week after the battle Bella was dragging herself out of bed, she hadn't realized how burned out and exhausted she was. How worn down from worry and tension. Victoria and her fuckheads were gone, Harry had been avenged, her loved ones were saved and the only thing looming in her future was graduation and shopping for her apartment. But between work and school she hadn't had the chance to really recuperate. And even at that she couldn't shake the feeling that James and then Victoria were only the beginning. That something else was coming, that like any good epic story there was always a starter villain.

Thursday and Friday were school free for some sort of teachers sabbatical, and Bella was elated about a 5 day weekend. She walked down to the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee. She texted her mother, and then texted Jake to check on his eye. Sitting at the table she peeled and ate her breakfast banana while the kitchen filled with the smell of coffee. She thought about her ability, her quote unquote potent power. She had never felt it before, she wouldn't even have known it existed if not for Edward and his family.

Although that statement wasn't exactly true, not all the way. There had been times as a child where after wiping out on her bike, or her roller blades, or that longboard her mother had bought her she would come off far less injured than she should have been. A cushion of sorts between her and the ground, or the wall, or the time she was swiped by the rear of a car in what could have been a hit and run if not for what was stated at the time to be "incredible luck"

It wasn't telekinesis though, she wasn't Carrie White or Jean Grey or J'onn J'onzz. She probably wouldn't make any strides with her ability at all, probably wouldn't manage anything but a hernia.

She got up from the kitchen table and poured herself a cup of coffee, she laced it heavily with sugar and walked into the living room. Plopping down on the couch she flicked on the tv and skipped to the news. She had been watching a lot of news lately, the murders in Seattle were still a hot ticket, the police were still looking for Edward without knowing they were looking for Edward, and then there were the reports of the missing while Victoria's little group was making it's way back to Washington. Bella looking through the eyes of the uninformed would have counted this as the world going to hell in a handcart, but with her new and inside information she was completely aware of the causes of these awful events.

She reached out her right hand - the hand that had been most affected by vampires - and pointed it at an empty glass on the table, she focused, she focused like she never had before on the shield she couldn't see. Struggling to remember that feeling when Tanya pressed her spear against her skin. The feeling was like a block, like a block of cold and transparent ice, sliding over her skin. If she could just make it move a little further, just a tad. A meter would be nice. Hell she would settle for a centimeter if that was the most she could do, so long as she could do something. She could feel something building in her stomach, a charge or a jolt or a buzz. Building and growing, she would either shit her pants, fart or burp but something was coming from inside of her. Was it going to happen? Or was she just going to end up taking a shower and laughing at herself for being the biggest asshole on planet Earth?

The knock on the door jolted her, she hopped to her feet, bumping the table and knocking the glass and the remote on the floor. "Who's there?" Bella called out.

"Edward." came the voice from the other side of the door.

Bella went to the door and moved the blinds back, and there was her beautiful boyfriend standing on the stoop. She opened the door, smiling. "Hey." she said, a goofy smile lighting her face.

"Hello darling, are you doing alright?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded and went to go and pick up the glass and the remote "You never come over without calling first. Something special today?"

Edward smirked "We're going to Seattle."

"For what? You can teach me in my backyard." Bella said, setting the glass and remote on the table.

"I'm taking you to the record store, I found one that has a copy of Lust For Life on vinyl." Edward said.

"Oh really? Are they going to hold on to it for you?" Bella asked.

"I asked them to, but the price they quoted me was exorbitant enough that I'm reasonably sure no one is going to go into the building and scoop it up while we make our way there." Edward said.

"That is awesome news, I was hoping I'd get lucky and one of you guys would have it. And I could just borrow it for a few days." Bella said, grinning.

Edward laughed "Jasper owns a few Iggy Pop records, but interestingly enough not that one. Now maybe if you wanted Blue Oyster Cult or Motörhead or Grateful Dead you'd have a bit more luck raiding his record collection."

Bella pecked Edward on the lips "You're so sweet you know. Let me go and bathe and get dressed and I'll be right down."

Edward nodded and sat on the couch, he picked up the remote and turned on the television. "They're still looking for me." he said.

Bella stopped on the stairs "Yeah, can't beat up eight cops and expect it to be forgotten that soon. They're tearing up the gangs in the city though, I guess that's some consolation."

Bella went upstairs and showered, she changed clothes quickly and came downstairs. She tied her hair into a ponytail and sat on the couch next to Edward. "Don't let it bother you too much."

"That's easier said than done love." Edward said, his eyes on the television.

"Come on, let's get going. Take your mind off of it." Bella said.

Bella followed Edward outside, she locked the door behind herself and got into the passenger seat. Edward was staring at the steering wheel, a cigarette playing around his fingers. "If it's any consolation, I thought your mask looked amazing." Bella said.

Edward laughed and started the car, "Tanya had it made for me. Birthday present. She said after the Canine there was a Fox, and after the Fox there was a Bull."

"Lemme guess, Jasper's the canine, and Emmett is the bull. So what's that make Alice and Rosalie." Bella said, rolling down her window.

"Alice is a hummingbird, Rosalie is a lion." Edward said.

"I bet Esme is a tiger huh." Bella said.

"Esme is a force of nature, we couldn't classify her as an animal." Edward said, putting the cigarette in his mouth and lighting it. "I prefer not to smoke, but I think I might be stressed."

"I think you might be stressed, but what could stress you out? Worried about the inevitability of death?" Bella asked, grinning and turning on the radio. Edward had been going through her CD's the last time he had come over, and she was happy that she had infected him with her music taste. So to hear the Dandy Warhols come out of his radio made her incredibly happy.

"You hit the nail on the head in a way my dear." Edward said, keeping his eyes on the road.

Bella looked at him "My death then, you're worried about me dying."

"Yes." Edward said.

"Don't be, I'm not worried about it. I'm only 18 remember?" Bella said.

"This is true, you are only 18. But…" Edward started.

"But you're going to have a hard time letting me go huh?" Bella asked, putting her hand on his knee. "One day that humanity you love so much about me is going to take me away from you, and all you'll have are memories."

"Yes." Edward said quietly, he was still focused on the road. Occasionally taking what seemed like angry puffs of his cigarette.

"I've got plenty of time Edward, like years and years of time. Before you know it I'll be the thirty-four year old dating a teenage adult." Bella said, and then she laughed.

Edward grinned sadly and looked at her, and Bella was admittedly impressed that he could still drive while staring at her. "If you want me in your life that long I wouldn't object, but you're right, I don't want to lose you. I don't want to… I have a hard time now seeing a future that you're not a part of. I… I don't want to be alone, I don't want to feel that."

"You're not alone, you have your family." Bella said.

"I know, and they're wonderful. But it's a different kind of alone, it's… I need you. I need you in my life in whatever capacity I can have you." Edward said, as he swerved through vehicles.

Bella leaned back in the seat, she turned down the radio "You have me, I'm your first friend."

"First friend, yes." Edward said, turning his eyes back to the road.

"We should've had sex, that's probably why you're so stressed. You need to have one off." Bella said, opening her cellphone.

Edward laughed "You are so vulgar."

"I know right? I'm just so gross." Bella said, laughing. "But seriously I was reading that couples that regularly have sex are like 99% stress free. All the endorphins and shit that get released or whatever."

"What's your source on this information?" Edward asked.

" .com" Bella said, grinning.

Edward laughed and put a hand on Bella's thigh, he squeezed gently "Life does seem much better when I'm inside of you."

"I know!" Bella said, putting her hands over Edward's "We have photographs, we have memories. If when I die all you'll have are memories, what's so awful about that? What's so wrong about that? Memories are great."

Edward squeezed Bella's thigh and punched it to 120, trying to do his best Emmett impersonation behind the wheel. "I'm afraid Bella, I'm afraid of what will happen in the future. I'm afraid of what will happen next. For years I didn't have to worry, I didn't have to be afraid. I've… we've fought some scary people, and even though I was scared, I wasn't afraid like when I fought Victoria. When I fought James… I… Bella I was terrified I'd fail and you would die."

"But you didn't, you won." Bella said.

"But what about what comes next? Even after I teach you the best I can who's to say it will be good enough?" Edward said. "Training your ability won't make you stronger, won't make you faster. It will just be something extra you can do, it won't…"

"Stop it." Bella said, her voice stern. "Stop it right now. Stop kicking the shit out of yourself."

Edward took his eyes off the road again to look at Bella, his gaze snapped back to focused. "You're retreating, last time you did this you left. And I told you I'm not letting you do that twice." Bella said.

"This isn't leading up to me leaving you, I just worry." Edward said, pulling into a restaurant/gas station. "Let's get you breakfast."

Edward parked and went around to Bella's side, he waited for her to get out and walked with her inside. They sat at a booth by the window. "What's everyone thinking?" Bella asked

"How do you know I know?" Edward asked.

"I know." Bella said, winking.

"Well in answer to your question no one is thinking anything out of the ordinary, though you would be surprised how many psychos are out there." Edward said.

Bella laughed and put her hand on Edward's "I don't think I would be."

The waitress, a lean pretty woman with greying hair came to the booth. She gazed somewhat longingly at Edward before putting the menus on the table and slipping a pad out of her pocket. "Can I help you?" she asked.

Edward looked at Bella "Ready?"

"Could you give me a second ma'am, I'm still deciding." Bella said. "My boyfriend is ready to go though."

Edward laughed, his white teeth flashing. "I'd like a cup of coffee please, black."

The waitress put her pad back in her pocket "Back in a sec." she said.

Edward grasped Bella's hand, he lifted it and stared into her eyes "I'm madly in love with you Bella Swan."

Bella turned red, she moved a loose strand of hair back behind her ear "I know that too, better than anyone. I know how it feels too… to be really in love with someone."

The waitress came back, she placed a cup of steaming black coffee on the table. Edward took a sip while Bella ordered her breakfast. When the waitress returned with her food Bella ate silently while Edward sat there, gazing out of the window. His gaze sharpened briefly, and then relaxed. "What's wrong?" Bella asked.

"Nothing, just… I enjoy being with you." Edward said.

"I enjoy being with you, you know before I moved here my only real friend was my mom? Like how lame is that." Bella said, eating a piece of bacon.

"Before you…" Edward started, gazing into his coffee cup "My only friend was James."

"You're too smart to pick such crappy friends…" Bella said around a mouthful of grits.

Edward laughed and Bella smiled "Jasper either looks a lot like a girl, or a girl looks a lot like a very pretty boy." Bella said.

Edward took a swallow of his coffee "I was wondering when you would ask me about Jane."

"Well I wanted to wait till… I don't know till when, it's just she seemed kind of like a sore spot." Bella said.

"She is." Edward said.

"So like, Rosalie… Rosalie isn't his blood sister, but Jane is?" Bella asked.

Edward nodded and took another sip of coffee "Keep going." he encouraged.

"Ok so… so Jasper's last name is Whitlock then? And not Hale?" Bella said.

"According to him it hasn't been Whitlock since he was turned." Edward said, signaling the waitress for a refill.

Bella was piling the remains of her breakfast onto her toast "Ok, so… so do you guys hate her?"

Edward shook his head "It's complicated."

Bella bit into her concoction, chewed and then said "How's it complicated? Is she an enemy? Carlisle said she tried to have you guys killed."

"Well, she wants her brother." Edward said.

"Jasper is a pretty forward guy." Bella said. "I bet if he wanted anything to do with Jane he would have something to do with her huh?"

"He would." Edward said, holding his cup completely steady as the waitress poured.

"So why doesn't he?" Bella asked.

Edward laughed "You should ask him."

"Maybe I will mr. laughypants, I'm going to ask next time I'm over there." Bella said.

Edward smirked and put 15 dollars on the table "And when will that be?"

"This Sunday, I'm going over Jake's house Friday night. Billy is having a bonfire." Bella said, picking up Edward's coffee cup.

"Are we invited?" Edward asked, laughing.

"Jake said something about not bringing any murderous undead so no, no invitations." Bella said, joining Edward in his laughter.

"Shame, I could see myself enjoying a weenie roast." Edward said, he stood up from the booth.

Bella stood up and linked her arm with his "Mine."

Edward laughed "Well of course, you're my partner."

Bella blushed deeply and nudged Edward "I get insecure, sometimes I have to lift my leg and take a big steamy piss on you."

Edward laughed harder and walked arm in arm with Bella back to the car, he started up and they were back on the road.

The record store was in one of the more metropolitan areas of the city, formerly a small library. It was dusty, it smelled of age and care. Records filled shelves and plastic milk crates, dusty rows of books were an addition, as were a few vintage arcade cabinets and video games. Edward held the door open for Bella and the few customers coming in behind them, he walked inside and took Bella's hand in his. His cool and sweatless palm was pleasant, and added something extra to the experience.

"Hipster douche." Bella said.

"That's a very nice Blonde Redhead shirt you're wearing Bella." Edward said, "I saw them in Massachusetts in 1997."

Bella looked down at her shirt and then back at Edward, she giggled at his gamine grin. "I swear, you want to be me so bad."

"You're co-opting my style forty years after I made it my style." Edward said.

Bella laughed and walked with Edward to the counter, the aging hesher sitting there in the large leather swivel chair looked up from his old copy of Screen Secrets and regarded Bella and Edward with a wary eye, he bent back a corner of the page he was reading and set the magazine on the countertop, he stood and said "Help you?"

Edward nodded "You're holding a record for me? Lust For Life by Iggy Pop?"

"You're Edward Cullen?" The proprietor said.

"Yes sir." Edward said.

"Price I quoted you was $230."

Edward reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He reached into it and laid $230 on the counter "I'd also like to purchase that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cabinet there, alongside the King Of Fighters cabinet."

"One of them runs you an extra $650, the other one is clocking in at $900." The proprietor said, his eyebrows raised.

"I don't have that in cash, can I make the purchase using my card? Or do I need to stop by a bank?" Edward asked, his smile wide.

"Nah, you can use your card."

While the man walked into the back to get the record Edward walked over to the King Of Fighters cabinet, Bella following. Edward put 4 quarters into the machine and started playing.

"Are you any good?" Bella asked.

Edward shrugged, he picked the Bogard team "I'm decent enough, I didn't get into these until the 98' version came out. It's more of a gift for Esme."

"Of course." Bella said, smiling and putting 4 quarters into the player 2 slot. She picked the Japanese team.

They played three matches before the proprietor decided it would be a good time to interrupt, Edward paid for his purchases and handed Bella the record.

"And the cabinets?" the proprietor asked.

"I'll be back tomorrow to pick them up, thank you." Edward said.

"No, thank you, I been wanting to get rid of those for ages. Wasn't expecting kid's like you to be the ones to come in here and pick them up." the proprietor said, picking up his Screen Secrets and sitting down again

Bella was marveling over the record when they walked outside, "Thank you, thanks a lot. I really really appreciate it."

"It's not a problem Bella, and you're welcome. You just have to promise me that -" Edward's sentence broke off and his gaze sharpened on a point in the distance.

Bella looked in the direction he was looking, other than the people bustling hither and thither in the falling snow she could see nothing "Vampire?" she asked, adrenaline already beginning to flow.

Edward shook his head "No… no it's shapeshifters… but… it's not any of the ones I'm familiar with."

"Is that a bad thing? I… I thought you said that there isn't any animosity on your side? Like only Lycanthropes are natural enemies."

Edward nodded, still scanning, his gaze still focused "There isn't any, not on our end, and their general distrust and dislike of vampires is altogether justified. In addition to that the Imperium is utterly unaware of the shifters… this is something else. In the 60 years we've been aware of them we have seen no other shapeshifters."

"Oh shit. Oh shit! So are they good? Bad? What?" Bella asked, panic creeping into her voice.

"I don't know, there are three of them. They're unaware of me, but they are definitely hunting. Looking for vampires… we need to go Bella, now." Edward said, reaching out his hand.

Bella took his hand and Edward lead her back to the Camaro at a brisk pace, he unlocked the doors and Bella hopped in, Edward stood by his opened door briefly, scanning, his expression flowing from one to another before settling on astonishment mixed with horror and a good dash of surprise. He got in and locked the door "Jesus… Jesus Christ."

"Edward what? What?! We aren't all telepaths you know!" Bella said.

"They're… they're not natives. They're not related to the Quileutes in Forks. Distantly most likely, but the… the shifter strain has been propagated, its flowed from one source to this. There are more than the three in the city." Edward took of his knit cap and ran a hand through his hair "Two of them are black, another is brazilian."

"Oh geez, oh shit, oh crap are they crazy? Evil?" Bella asked.

Edward shook his head "I can't tell, they're having drinks. Just sitting there drinking and talking and sniffing around for bloodsuckers. I can't tell what their moral standing is, but we need to get back home." he looked at Bella and his gaze was gentle "Don't panic, it's not a concern. Shifters don't harm humans, they're not a threat."

"Well you freaked me out. Let's get going, let's go." Bella said.

Edward lit a cigarette and rolled down the window, Bella looked at the pack of unfiltered Camels sitting on the dash "Gimme one."

Edward looked at her with a raised eyebrow "You got my nerves all frazzled, unlike you I'll actually get something out of it." Bella said, reaching for the pack and shaking a cigarette out.

Edward laughed and started the car "Bad for your health." he said, then he shifted gears and took off, eager to return home to divulge what he had heard to the rest.

\- the first shifter -

Bella sat by the big bonfire in the wide expanse of Billy "Little Bill" Black's backyard, watching with a smile as Embry argued with Paul over brown mustard. She imagined this must have been how Charlie felt as a teenager, the only white face surrounded by handsome brown ones. She looked to her right where Quil was timing Jacob's shift. Behind her Rachel and Leah were discussing what Bella assumed to be leader stuff while Seth hovered nearby, squatting down with his DS, a mixture of apprehension and comfort. Sam sat in front of the bonfire, the flame reflecting in his bright green eyes, his gaze focused. Dennis and Jared were close by, sitting at a large picnic table playing spades and eating frankfurters.

Emily was speaking with Mrs. Tiffany, keeping a good distance from Leah, the rest of the adults were in the house, Bella assumed they were preparing more food than the hot dogs they had started with. Bella was just grateful she had been invited.

She had left earlier in the day, Edward had given her a ride. Charlie had answered the door with some confusion, unaware that they had resumed their relationship in his absence, but he said nothing, Cullen had wrecked his daughter briefly, but Bella had not fallen to pieces, and he reasoned if she could survive without him he couldn't be too upset if she welcomed him back.

"Good afternoon Charlie." Edward had said.

Charlie grunted and lifted his Coors can, "Afternoon Edward, taking my girl to the bonfire?" Charlie said. "Or were you expecting me to still be gone?"

Edward had laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck "Taking her to the bonfire sir."

"Come on in, have a seat. You thirsty kid?" Charlie had asked

"No sir." Edward said.

Edward sat on the couch while Charlie called upstairs to Bella, she responded that she would be down shortly.

Charlie sat on the recliner, he gazed at Edward steadily. "Cullen." he had said.

Edward looked from the tv to Charlie "Sir."

"You hurt my daughter pretty badly Cullen, and wrecked the trust you two built. Bella is tough so she didn't fall apart, but you did hurt her. That first heartbreak stings pretty badly." Charlie had said, turning down the volume on the television.

"I know sir." Edward said.

"Now she's taken you back, and I can't be too upset cause you're not a bad kid, you're not bad for her or bad with her, but if you break my daughter's heart again, I will kill you." Charlie said, his gaze still steady. "And that's not hyperbole, you hurt her again you better pray you don't see me afterward."

"I understand sir." Edward said.

"Good." Charlie said, and he turned the volume back up on the television.

Bella bounded downstairs shortly afterward, her face glowing. She had planted a quick kiss on Charlie's cheek "See you later dad, love you!"

"Love you too sweetheart, have fun! See you Sunday." Charlie said, "Drive safe Cullen."

"Yes sir, have a good evening." Edward said, following Bella outside.

Jacob, Embry and Quil had met Edward at The Line to pick Bella up. She gave Edward a kiss and got out, she leaned into the open window "I'll see you Sunday."

"See you Sunday beautiful, text me." Edward said.

"I will." Bella said, leaning into the car further to give Edward another kiss before she went to the Torino and got into the backseat next to Quil.

"One of these days me and Quil are going to be driver and shotgun seat." Bella said, giving Quil a hug before leaning into the front seat to hug Jacob and Embry.

Jacob laughed "You're trippin Bella, nobody drives Baby Blue but me and Embry, you and Quil are the back seat denizens."

Embry laughed "Hey Bella."

"Ready for a cold ass weekend Bella?" Quil said, laughing.

"I'm all the way ready, I've got my backpack, my memory card, like 3 games and an extra controller." Bella said.

"Jesus, did you bring any clothes?" Jacob said, a grin on his face as he drove steadily.

"I brought clothes, when is the bonfire?" Bella asked.

"After my dad gets back, they can't do anything without beer." Jacob said.

When they arrived the bonfire was already lit, and Emily and Ms. Tiffany were roasting hotdogs. The picnic table was cleared of snow and there were bags of chips, drinks, and condiments available.

When Billy arrived he called Jacob and the rest to the front to help haul the cooler of beer to the backyard, the food that had been prepared inside, and refills of pop. Bella had never seen Quil's father, and the two of them looked nothing alike. Quil's father was much darker for one, the color of milk caramel. His hair wasn't a curly mop, but long and straight, he was tall and thin, his face dour and serious.

Paul's father was short and hard, his face a roadmap of scars. His ears heavily cauliflowered, his arms huge and heavily muscled, his neck tree trunk thick. His face handsome in spite of the extensive scarring.

His brother, Dennis's father was the opposite, tall and svelte. His movements graceful, his concert pianist fingers thin and deft, his hair was a thick and shiny black that appeared to flow.

Jared's father was a heavily built man, short and stout. He was hard in the same way that Paul's father was, possessed of massive slab arms and a thick neck.

Joshua Uley wheeled Billy outside, a can of Stone sweating condensation in Billy's big hand. He wheeled him close to the fire and sat down next to his son, Billy's arrival being the prompt for everyone else to join.

Bella stayed seated while Jacob sat down next to her on one side and Embry on the other, Quil sat next to Jacob. "Gonna get a plate dude?" Jacob asked through a mouth full of food.

"I'm just going to wait for one of the entire sections of beef rib you stuffed down your throat but didn't bother to chew fall out and eat that." Bella said.

Jacob turned red and then laughed, "I hope all the food is gone by the time you get you up."

Bella laughed and stood up "I'm scared now, you guys want anything from the table?"

"Full hands, grab me a Sprite." Embry said.

"Coke." Jacob said.

"Dr. Pepper." Quil said.

"Always gotta be different Quil." Jacob said.

Bella laughed and went to the picnic table, Tiffany fixed her plate, "You tell my lazy son to get his ass up and get his own drink, same for Jake and Quil." she said, winking and handing Bella a bottle of water.

Bella laughed and went back to her seat "Hey where's the beverages dude?" Jacob asked.

"Tiffany said your legs work." Bella said.

Embry muttered several curse words underneath his breath and stood up "What was that honey?" Tiffany called over.

"Nothin!" Embry said, walking to the table while Quil and Jacob sniggered.

When the food had been eaten, the yard cleared, and the bonfire burning low and slow, Billy rolled himself a cigarette and waited for everyone to sit again. "I'm gonna tell a story, it's a bit long, and most of us old timers have heard it since our father's knees. But you young folks haven't, since we didn't think we would need to tell you."

"Is it a ghost story?" Jacob asked, Embry laughed and bumped him with his elbow.

"Ghost stories are for babies Jake." Seth said, closing his DS.

"Yeah, maybe Uncle Bill is gonna send us on a Snipe hunt." Dennis said.

"Ghosts are real boys." Dennis's father said, his voice a throaty rumble at odds with his slim and pristine beauty. "You've seen monsters, are spirits outside of your worldview?"

Jacob, Dennis and Seth blushed before Jacob said "That's different, vampires and sh- stuff… us… we're different from ghosts."

Billy smiled at Jacob, his teeth very white "How do you figure that son?"

"I mean." Jacob blushed harder "I mean, who uh, who would want to hang around after that you know… vampires don't have a choice."

"Sometimes ghosts don't either." Paul's father said, "Listen to what your father has to say, learn something for once."

Jacob looked like he wanted to say something to that, but Rachel shook her head and that was the end of that. Billy took another drag off of his cigarette and blew the smoke into the air. "Real interesting Jake said "us" when he was talking about monsters, what's that make us Rachel?"

"We're not monsters dad, we're humans. We kill monsters." Rachel said.

"But we have to turn into monsters to do it Rachel." Sam said "Like this, like we are right now we can't do it."

"Speak for yourself Uley." Jacob said.

Sam snorted and Billy laughed, "Go on Rachel, I know that's not all you have to say." Billy said.

Rachel cleared her throat and looked around, "I mean… we're people. Monsters… I mean the difference is clear with monsters isn't it? Monsters have to kill people, they may not even want to, but they still kill people. We don't, even if we have to turn into monsters to stop them we still don't kill people." Rachel said, cutting her eyes at Sam.

"So that's the difference then Rach?" Embry said "That's all it takes to not be a monster? Man, I've been not being a monster for 16 years then." and Tiffany slapped him in the back of the head.

"It was a very good answer Rachel, better than anything my knucklehead could have come up with." Tiffany said, smiling serenely while Embry rubbed his head and grumbled.

"It was a good answer Rachel, but is the answer that cut and dry? Is it so simple as not killing? Not harming regular people is a moral code we impose upon ourselves, it's not ingrained in the transformation, it's not a part of it. Wolves and bears are wild animals, and you all know the dangers of communing too close to the beast." Billy said, lighting a fresh cigarette with the butt of the one he finished before dropping it into an old Folgers can.

"Is that what you wanted to talk to us about Billy?" Leah said, her long legs drawn up to her chest.

"It is. Quite the bright group I've got sitting here, I'm glad for the female presence, otherwise I'd be stuck with 8 dumbass boys." Billy said, smiling.

Paul huffed "I think he's talking about you Embry."

"I think I should throw you in the fire Paulie." Embry said without missing a beat.

"You might have been onto something about dumbass boys Billy." Paul Jr. said.

Billy laughed, and then looked over at Bella, who was sitting there quietly, her hands in the pockets of her hoodie. "Something wrong Bella?"

Bella shook her head and smiled tentatively "Oh no sir… nothing's wrong, it's just… uh."

"It's just you're currently in a relationship with one of the monsters we're tasked with destroying but can't kill because in their case it would be immoral?" Rachel filled in.

"Yeah, uh… yeah that." Bella said, and Leah laughed.

"You of all people should be here tonight Bella, you're involved in this of your own volition." Billy said, and his gaze felt like a weight.

Bella moved her hair back behind her ear, her face was burning up and she hated it, "Bet it's a surprise that Charlie's daughter would be in a relationship with the kind of guy her dad should be arresting." Bella said.

Jared's father spat out a mouthful of Bud Light and said through hacking coughs "That's Charlie's kid? I was wondering what she was doing here." he forced out as his son patted his back.

"Can't see the resemblance Ron? She's got his round face." Paul Jr. said.

"I thought one of them boys was just dating her." Ron said, still coughing.

"I tried." Quil said, and Embry punched him in the top of his head while Jacob laughed.

"It's a hard road being in a relationship with a shifter, I'd say it's probably more difficult than being in a relationship with a bloodsucker." Quil IV said.

"That's tomorrow's topic Quil, tonight we're discussing the past." Billy said, "Specifically our ancient ancestor, the both of them."

"Wait whoa, hang on. We learned about our history in school, there's a whole separate thing?" Jacob said.

"I had history too Jake, I don't remember when they mentioned the part about us turning into animal men." Rachel said.

"You learned the history of our people, I'm going to speak on the history of shapeshifters." Billy said.

"Oh man, get to the story uncle Bill, I'm on the edge of my seat." Seth said, and Leah shushed him.

Billy lit another cigarette and everyone quieted, he blew out smoke "Well the story goes there were three siblings, two brothers Red Wolf and Grey Bear, and their elder sister Azure Cougar. Red Wolf and Grey Bear were the protectors of the tribe, tasked with protecting them from their enemies by the god K'wati.

You see, back then it wasn't unusual for the tribes to be empowered by the gods of their totem. They regularly chose champions, protectors… Red Wolf and Grey Bear were unusual because they were two protectors where most tribes had only one.

Perhaps it's no surprise then that Azure Cougar was also gifted, she was the mediator between the older and the younger, the reasonable one. See, Red Wolf and Grey Bear were infinitely competitive. Were it not for the calming influence of Azure Cougar, they would have fought with every local tribe they could."

"Wait, hang on. K'wati? The god dude? He was real? Like not just a thing to get us to eat our veggies and keep the monster in the closet or whatever, but like a real dude?" Jacob said.

"I wouldn't phrase it like a dumb teenager, but yes, K'wati was very real." Billy said.

"Was?" Leah asked.

"Yes, was." Billy said.

"I'm not a theologian or anything Billy, but god's don't just die. They don't just keel over and drop dead." Leah said.

"That sounds like some church sh-tuff." Quil said, opening his Dr. Pepper. Jacob and Embry laughed.

"Shut it and listen Quil." His father said.

So Billy told the children the story as it had been told to him and his friends when he was a child. He told them of the Wallachian vampire Radu that demanded tribute in blood and flesh. He told them of sacrifice after sacrifice for years, he told them of ineffectual elders and the unfortunate warriors forbidden from resisting for fear that they would be unable to kill the demon.

How the vampire Radu was far too powerful for Grey Bear and Red Wolf to defeat in their human forms. How K'wati would - in an act that would kill the god - imbue them with his very essence, allowing them to transcend their humanity to kill the demon.

The story was very good, it was an example of victory over the unnatural. It was a story of victory through sacrifice, that to overcome the darkness something must be lost, even if that something were a god.

However, Billy, and the other shifters were unaware of the true nature of Grey Bear and Red Wolf's victory. Indeed they were not the victors in the battle with Radu, K'wati having been long dead. The brothers had been following Raven, who having tricked K'wati out of the vast majority of his power and took it upon himself to name his own champion, Red Wolf.

But even this is skewed, as Grey Bear and Red Wolf were incapable of shifting. It was Azure Cougar who was the first to shift. As she watched her brothers being beaten down by the hideous demon, as she watched them struggle to their feet, beaten and bruised. And as she watched the demon laugh at the feeble and frail humans, Azure Cougar realized that K'wati wasn't coming. That he would never come. That he had gifted them and abandoned them, that he had left them to their fate. But Azure Cougar was a warrior, she was not cattle to be eaten.

She called upon the basket weaver, the ogress, Dask'iya. And the ogress appeared, and she whispered to her that she could gift her with power. That she could gift her with true strength, that she could make her more than a human. And Azure Cougar accepted, and Dask'iya gifted her with power. Dask'iya placed the beast inside of Azure Cougar, and she shifted and tore Radu to shreds.

However, Azure Cougar was overwhelmed, exactly as Dask'iya predicted she would be. And she communed far too closely with the beast, she attacked her brothers, passing the shift to them, and then with the last of Azure Cougar that remained she ran. She ran from everything she knew, leaving only the spread of Dask'iyas gift in the bloodlines of Red Wolf and Grey Bear.

But Billy and the rest knew none of this. Just as they didn't know that Azure Cougar eventually did regain control of her mind from the beast, that she did manage to return from the depths of the red murkiness that she had fallen into following her flight from her tribe.

But the fog of time had eroded her mind, she knew nothing of her tribe. She remembered nothing of Red Wolf and Grey Bear. She had only the hatred of vampires left to her. She bore many children, some shifted, others did not. Scattered all over the world as Azure Cougar traveled to many, many places.

Azure Cougar, the Alpha and the Omega of all of the shapeshifters. Unbound by the morality of the progeny of Grey Bear and Red Wolf. Unknown and remembered as a side character in the story of their origin.

Bella rolled out a sleeping bag on the floor of the living room, her mind filled with the story she had heard from Billy at the bonfire. Dead gods, evil vampires, heroic shifters, it was an awesome story. And it reminded her of Edward telling her that most vampires were just terrible.

Rachel came downstairs, her small cotton shorts showing off her skinny legs, her bare feet inside of white high-top Keds. Her black hair plaited, the thin undershirt she was wearing floating on her skinny body. "My dad is in the garage with Jacob if you need anything Bella, make sure to set the sleep timer on the TV."

Bella nodded "O.k Rachel."

Rachel walked over and sat on the sofa "You don't think I like you do you?"

Bella shook her head "I don't think you like me at all, and I get it."

Rachel laughed "I don't dislike you Bella, who you date is your business. Now if you were stringing my kid brother along we'ed have a fucking problem."

Bella laughed and sat on the floor next to Rachel's legs "String Jake along? I couldn't imagine a relationship with Jakey, that'd be like… that'd be like dating… I dunno a good analogy it'd just be gross. Ew."

"I bet, you should see his room." Rachel said.

"I have, it's basically the garage only he can't fit any cars into it." Bella said. "What uh… what do you go to school for Rachel?"

"Engineering, I plan on going to work for Boeing as a machinist." Rachel said, her eyebrow raised. "Are you nervous about school?"

Bella nodded "Very. The thought of college is scarier than Victoria."

Rachel sat up "Nothing to be scared about, you'll have an easier time fitting in than me."

"Not true, smart people like smart people." Bella said.

"Smart people like smart white people, most of my class thinks dumb redskins like me are just taking the place of a smart white person." Rachel said.

"You sound like Charlie, I've heard him complain about that line of thinking." Bella said.

Rachel laughed and stood up, she went over to the mantle and grabbed one of the pictures sitting there, she brought it back and handed it to Bella "Your dad has the right of it."

The picture was Billy, Charlie and Harry standing with a blonde girl in shorts so small they might as well have been underwear and a strapless t-shirt, a beautiful native woman standing next to Harry wearing a floppy straw hat, and another standing next to Billy, her bell bottoms festooned with flowers. Bella was struck dumb by the picture of people she had only ever seen as old. Charlie was smooth faced and vaguely mean looking, or he was overcompensating since both Billy and Harry looked like two badasses with their little brother. The collar on Charlie's rough leather jacket was popped, his hair hanging over his eyes, a cigarette hanging from his lip. His posture screaming "yeah baby, I'm just a real cool breeze.".

It was weird seeing Renee in the picture hanging all over him, as if he were cool. Bella laughed at loud at Charlie's black PF Flyers. They looked almost exactly like the same pair Edward owned. Only where Edward's were pristine, Charlies were beaten up. Billy was huge and muscular, a pack of cigarettes was rolled into the sleeve of the short sleeved undershirt he was wearing, his pompadour was immaculate, his jeans were stained and his engineer boots were dirty. Harry was laughing, a grin stretched across his handsome face. A switchblade poking out of his pocket, his hand interlaced with the girl standing next to him.

"Your dad was basically raised here, he was almost as excited as my dad when I got into school early." Rachel said, she was smiling at the picture fondly.

"So you're like my sister then?" Bella said.

Rachel laughed and pointed to the woman standing with Billy "That's my mother, Charlie actually set the two of them up. She was an artist, my dad keeps a bunch of her pictures in the garage. He say's all of her brains went to me, and it's why Jake is so damn dumb."

"Do you remember her?" Bella asked.

Rachel nodded "I miss her, like all the time. Jake is lucky he was a kid when she died, can't miss what you never really had."

"Good thing your dad is such a badass huh?" Bella said, still looking at the picture. Charlie and Renee seemed so at ease, so close. It was odd seeing them together, there were no pictures like this back home. Renee rarely mentioned Charlie. When Bella was living in Phoenix, Charlie was just where she had really good summers, and that was it. What had happened to make her so distant, and him so reminiscent.

Rachel laughed "Good thing."

Jacob came inside, cleaning his hand with a solvent. "Swear to god if dad didn't pay me I would smash every welding machine he owns."

Bella laughed "You take apart cars for fun you big baby."

"Dude, that's so different. Dad is out there talking about amperage and tack's and all this stuff and it's like… blah, my brain is melting." Jacob said, sitting on the couch next to Rachel "What are you two doing."

"Looking at the guy you stole your style from Jake." Bella said, handing Jacob the picture.

"Dad stole his stole from me." Jacob said.

Rachel laughed "I think if dad had a time machine like that he wouldn't use it to go into the future to see his douchey son, he'd use it to stop the doctor from dropping you on your head." and Bella laughed.

Jacob pushed Rachel's shoulder and laugh "Fuck you Rach, go back to school, you're killing me."

Rachel pinched his cheek "Wittle Jakey you know you missed me."

Jacob blushed and moved away "Whatever Rach, I'm about to go heat up leftovers."

"We just ate!" Rachel said.

"Dude, I got to maintain. Like, I need at least 2 tons of perfectly cooked beef every day." Jacob said, standing up "You guys want anything out of the kitchen."

"Sneak me a beer." Rachel said.

"Coke." Bella said.

Jacob stood up from the couch and paused, he blinked rapidly and looked at Rachel. "Did you say something Rach?"

Rachel shook her head "You going crazy?"

Jacob shook his head "I might be, I could've sworn I just heard you say something. Did you hear anything Bella?"

Bella shook her head "Not a peep, other than Rachel burning you."

Jacob laughed and went into the kitchen, he came back with a bottle of beer and a bottle of coke, he popped the top on both and handed the beer to Rachel. "Better drink it fast."

"I'm not chugging anything, I don't want to activate Quil's date rape sense." Rachel said.

Jacob and Bella laughed and Jacob sat on the couch next to Rachel "Where's the remote?"

Rachel sipped her beer "Dunno, I was going to go out and patrol but I had to set things straight with Bella. And now I've got a beer so I'm gonna just sit here and get drunk."

"I read somewhere that alcoholism is hereditary." Bella said, getting up to grab the remote off the top of the television

Jacob rolled his eyes "That's some of that injun stereotyping white girl, check under the kitchen drawers, it's where we keep the peace pipes and fire water."

Bella laughed and punched Jacob in the knee and turned on the television "Are you going to patrol Jake?"

Jacob nodded "In a little bit, Sam is out there right now, and he drives Quil and Embry up a wall."

Rachel took a long swallow of her beer "Who else is out there?"

"Uhh, I think he took Jared and Paul along with him." Jacob said.

"Christ, Paul and Embry are going to kill each other." Rachel said.

"Call Paul in and send out Dennis?" Jacob asked.

Rachel shook her head "Paul is good, we need fighters out there, and Dennis is exhausted from all the patrols he's run with you and me. I'd recommend Leah, but her and Sam… yuck."

"Seth?"

Rachel shook her head again "He's understandably frightened, and Sue made it pretty clear she could give a shit if Leah get's killed as long as Seth is ok. I'm not risking that kid's life." Rachel stood up "I should go."

Jacob shook his head "No way, you go on like every patrol. You need a break Rach."

"I'm the Omega Jake, it's my responsibility." Rachel said.

"We're the Omega, and I'm not letting my sister wear herself out. We got it alright? Sit and drink your beer and keep Bella company." Jacob said.

"Everyone I know is so cool." Bella said, "You guys sound like badasses."

Rachel laughed and sat back on the couch, Jacob stood up and stretched "Alright, I'll catch you in the morning Bella. Anything happens out there you'll be the first to know Rach."

Rachel nodded, her face solemn "Keep me up to date Jake."

Jacob nodded and left, and Rachel got up to get another beer out of the refrigerator.


End file.
